Dual growth factor delivery from biofunctionalized allografts: Sequential VEGF and BMP-2 release to stimulate allograft remodeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharmin, Farzana; McDermott, Casey; Lieberman, Jay; Sanjay, Archana; Khan, Yusuf

2017-05-01

Autografts have been shown to stimulate osteogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and angiogenesis, and subsequent rapid graft incorporation. Large structural allografts, however, suffer from limited new bone formation and remodeling, both of which are directly associated with clinical failure due to non-unions, late graft fractures, and infections, making it a priority to improve large structural allograft healing. We have previously shown the osteogenic ability of a polymer-coated allograft that delivers bone morphogenetic protein-2 both in vitro and in vivo through both burst release and sustained release kinetics. In this study, we have demonstrated largely sequential delivery of bone morphogenetic protein-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor from the same coated allograft. Release data showed that loading both growth factors onto a polymeric coating with two different techniques resulted in short-term (95% release within 2 weeks) and long-term (95% release within 5 weeks) delivery kinetics. We have also demonstrated how released VEGF, traditionally associated with angiogenesis, can also provide a stimulus for allograft remodeling via resorption. Bone marrow derived mononuclear cells were co-cultured with VEGF released from the coated allograft and showed a statistically significant (p exposed to VEGF released from the allografts over controls (p < 0.05). These results indicate that by using different loading protocols temporal control can be achieved when delivering multiple growth factors from a polymer-coated allograft. Further, released VEGF can also stimulate osteoclastogenesis that may enhance allograft incorporation, and thus mitigate long-term clinical complications. © 2017 Orthopedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1086-1095, 2017. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Splenectomy increases the survival time of heart allograft via developing immune tolerance

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The spleen is an active lymphoid organ. The effect of splenectomy on the immune response remains unclear. This study investigated whether splenectomy can induce immune tolerance and has a beneficial role in cardiac allograft. Methods Wistar rats were used for heart donors. The Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats designated as the recipients of heart transplantation (HT) were randomly assigned into four groups: sham, splenectomy, HT, splenectomy + HT. The survival of transplanted hearts was assessed by daily checking of abdominal palpation. At various time points after transplantation, the transplanted hearts were collected and histologically examined; the level of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory lymphocytes (Tregs) and rate of lymphocyte apoptosis (annexin-v+ PI+ cells) in the blood were analyzed by using flow cytometric method. Results 1) Splenectomy significantly prolonged the mean survival time of heart allografts (7 ± 1.1 days and 27 ± 1.5 days for HT and splenectomy + HT, respectively; n = 12-14/group, HT vs. splenectomy + HT, p Splenectomy delayed pathological changes (inflammatory cell infiltration, myocardial damage) of the transplanted hearts in splenectomy + HT rats; 3) The level of CD4+CD25+ Tregs in the blood of splenectomized rats was significantly increased within 7 days (2.4 ± 0.5%, 4.9 ± 1.3% and 5.3 ± 1.0% for sham, splenectomy and splenectomy + HT, respectively; n = 15/group, sham vs. splenectomy or splenectomy + HT, p splenectomy surgery and gradually decreased to baseline level; 4) Splenectomy increased the rate of lymphocyte apoptosis (day 7: 0.3 ± 0.05%, 3.9 ± 0.9% and 4.1 ± 0.9% for sham, splenectomy and splenectomy + HT, respectively; n = 15/group, sham vs. splenectomy or splenectomy + HT, p Splenectomy inhibits the development of pathology and prolongs the survival time of cardiac allograft. The responsible mechanism is associated with induction of immune

Long-Term Persistency of Abnormal Heart Rate Variability following Long NICU Stay and Surgery at Birth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mélanie Morin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Preterm birth is associated with painful procedures during the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU stay. Full-term newborns can also experience pain, following surgery. These procedures can have long-lasting consequences. It has been shown that children born preterm show pain responses and cardiac alterations. This study aimed to explore the heart rate reactivity to pain in 107 subjects born either preterm or full-term who were between 7 and 25 years old at testing. We also evaluated the effect of pain experienced at birth, as represented by a longer NICU stay, time under ventilation, and surgery at birth. Participants were asked to immerse their right forearm in 10°C water for 2 minutes. Electrocardiograms were recorded at baseline and during the immersion procedure. Full-term subjects showed a stable increase in heart rate throughout the procedure, whereas preterm ones showed a strong increase at the beginning, which decreased over time. Also, preterm and full-term subjects who experienced pain at birth showed higher resting heart rate, stronger sympathetic activity, and lower cardiac vagal activity. Our study demonstrated a long-term impact of a long NICU stay and surgery at birth on cardiac autonomic activity. This could lead to impaired reactions to pain or stress in later life.

Textile for heart valve prostheses: fabric long-term durability testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Heim, Frederic; Durand, Bernard; Chakfe, Nabil

2010-01-01

The rapid developments and success in percutaneous vascular surgery over the last two decades with the now common stent grafts implantation, make the noninvasive surgery technique today attractive even for heart valve replacement. Less traumatic for the patient and also less time consuming, percutaneous heart valve replacement is however at its beginning and restricted to end of life patients. The noninvasive procedure expects from the heart valve prosthesis material to be resistant and adapted to folding requirements of the implantation process (catheter). Polyester fabric could be a suited material for heart valve implanted percutaneously. Highly flexible and resistant, polyester fabric proved to be well adapted to the dynamic behavior of a valve and polyester (Dacron) is also widely used for vascular grafts implantation and shows good biocompatibility and durability. However, today there's no data available on long-term durability of fabric used as heart valve material. The purpose of this work is to study the long term behavior of a microdenier polyester fabric construction under combined in vitro flexure and tension fatigue stress. In the novel in vitro testing technique presented, a fabric specimen was subjected to combined flexural and tensile fatigue generated by fluid flow under physiological pressure conditions. The results obtained show how flexural properties change with fatigue time, which reflects directly on the suitability of a fabric in such devices. It was also observed that these fabric structural changes directly influence the in vitro behavior of the textile heart valve prosthesis. (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Unconstrained monitoring of long-term heart and breath rates during sleep

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Wenxi; Zhu, Xin; Wei, Daming; Nemoto, Tetsu; Sugitani, Kayo; Kitamura, Kei-ichiro

2008-01-01

An unconstrained method for the long-term monitoring of heart and breath rates during sleep is proposed. The system includes a sensor unit and a web-based network module. The sensor unit is set beneath a pillow to pick up the pressure variations from the head induced by inhalation/exhalation movements and heart pulsation during sleep. The measured pressure signal was digitized and transferred to a remote database server via the network module. A wavelet-based algorithm was employed to detect the heart and breath rates, as well as body movement, during sleep. The overall system was utilized for a total six-month trial operation delivered to a female subject. The profiles of the heart and breath rates on a beat-by-beat and daily basis were obtained. Movements during sleep were also estimated. The results show that the daily average percentage of undetectable periods (UPs) during 881.6 sleep hours over a 180 day period was 17.2%. A total of 89.2% of sleep hours had a UP of not more than 25%. The profile of the heart rate revealed a periodic property that corresponded to the female monthly menstrual cycle. Our system shows promise as a long-term unconstrained monitor for heart and breath rates, and for other physiological parameters related to the quality of sleep and the regularity of the menstrual cycle. (note)

Changes in heart rate variability are associated with expression of short-term and long-term contextual and cued fear memories.

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Jun Liu

Full Text Available Heart physiology is a highly useful indicator for measuring not only physical states, but also emotional changes in animals. Yet changes of heart rate variability during fear conditioning have not been systematically studied in mice. Here, we investigated changes in heart rate and heart rate variability in both short-term and long-term contextual and cued fear conditioning. We found that while fear conditioning could increase heart rate, the most significant change was the reduction in heart rate variability which could be further divided into two distinct stages: a highly rhythmic phase (stage-I and a more variable phase (stage-II. We showed that the time duration of the stage-I rhythmic phase were sensitive enough to reflect the transition from short-term to long-term fear memories. Moreover, it could also detect fear extinction effect during the repeated tone recall. These results suggest that heart rate variability is a valuable physiological indicator for sensitively measuring the consolidation and expression of fear memories in mice.

Long-term results of total lymphoid irradiation in the treatment of cardiac allograft rejection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolden, Suzanne L.; Tate, David J.; Hunt, Sharon A.; Strober, Samuel; Hoppe, Richard T.

1997-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the short and long-term effects of total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) in the treatment of cardiac transplant rejection. Methods and Materials: Between 1986 and 1995, 48 courses of TLI were delivered to 47 cardiac transplant patients. In 37 patients, TLI was administered for intractable allograft rejection despite conventional therapy while 10 patients received TLI prophylactically. The prescribed radiation dose was 8 Gy in 0.8 Gy fractions twice weekly to mantle and inverted-Y plus spleen fields. Postirradiation follow-up ranged from 6 months to 9.1 years, with a mean of 3.1 years. Results: The actual mean dose was 7.3 Gy delivered over a mean of 39 days. Fifty-six percent of patients required treatment delay or abbreviation because of thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, infection, or unrelated problems. In patients treated for intractable rejection, rejection rates dropped from 0.46 to 0.14 and to 0.06 episodes/patient/month before, during, and after TLI (p < 0.0001). Rejection rates continued to drop throughout follow-up. Prednisone requirements decreased from 0.41 mg/kg before treatment to 0.21 mg/kg afterward (p < 0.0001). The ratio of helper to cytotoxic-suppressor T-cells decreased during TLI from 1.33 to 0.89, and remained low at 0.44, 2-4 months after treatment. Infection rates were not increased and two patients developed malignancy. Rejection rates were high during prophylactic treatment and this protocol was abandoned. Three-year actuarial survival after irradiation was 60% for patients with intractable rejection and 70% for the prophylactic cohort. Conclusion: TLI is an effective treatment for control of intractable cardiac rejection. Episodes of rejection and steroid dosage requirements are decreased for up to 9.1 years. A possible mechanism of action is long term alteration in T-lymphocyte subsets. Patients experience transient bone marrow suppression but no increase in infection or bleeding. Long-term complications of TLI are not

Long-term cost-effectiveness of disease management in systolic heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, George; Randolph, Stephen; Forkner, Emma; Smith, Brad; Galbreath, Autumn Dawn

2009-01-01

Although congestive heart failure (CHF) is a primary target for disease management programs, previous studies have generated mixed results regarding the effectiveness and cost savings of disease management when applied to CHF. We estimated the long-term impact of systolic heart failure disease management from the results of an 18-month clinical trial. We used data generated from the trial (starting population distributions, resource utilization, mortality rates, and transition probabilities) in a Markov model to project results of continuing the disease management program for the patients' lifetimes. Outputs included distribution of illness severity, mortality, resource consumption, and the cost of resources consumed. Both cost and effectiveness were discounted at a rate of 3% per year. Cost-effectiveness was computed as cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Model results were validated against trial data and indicated that, over their lifetimes, patients experienced a lifespan extension of 51 days. Combined discounted lifetime program and medical costs were $4850 higher in the disease management group than the control group, but the program had a favorable long-term discounted cost-effectiveness of $43,650/QALY. These results are robust to assumptions regarding mortality rates, the impact of aging on the cost of care, the discount rate, utility values, and the targeted population. Estimation of the clinical benefits and financial burden of disease management can be enhanced by model-based analyses to project costs and effectiveness. Our results suggest that disease management of heart failure patients can be cost-effective over the long term.

Time-dependent changes in B-type natriuretic peptide after heart transplantation: correlation with allograft rejection and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Bader, Feras M; Rogers, R Kevin; Kfoury, Abdallah G; Gilbert, Edward M; Horne, Ben D; Stehlik, Josef; Renlund, Dale G

2009-01-01

Endomyocardial biopsy is the gold standard to diagnose cardiac allograft rejection, although a noninvasive modality such as brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is attractive. The authors examined the correlation of BNP levels with rejection patterns and allograft function in cardiac allograft recipients followed up to 8 years. One hundred forty-four consecutive patients underwent endomyocardial biopsy, right heart catheterization, and blood sampling. BNP levels decreased during the first 6 months after transplant but then reached a plateau. Time-dependent correlations were made between BNP levels and allograft rejection, left ventricular ejection fraction, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, right atrial pressure, and serum creatinine. BNP levels were not different between patients with any rejection pattern and no rejection prior to or after 6 months following transplant. BNP levels did not correlate with ejection fraction, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, right atrial pressure, or creatinine in the first 6 months after transplant. Statistically significant correlations existed between BNP and these parameters after 6 months following transplant. In cardiac transplant recipients, BNP levels decrease in the first 6 months following transplant and then reach a plateau regardless of the presence, type, or severity of allograft rejection. BNP levels do predict allograft rejection but correlate with allograft function after 6 months following transplant.

PD-L1 Deficiency within Islets Reduces Allograft Survival in Mice.

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Dongxia Ma

Full Text Available Islet transplantation may potentially cure type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM. However, immune rejection, especially that induced by the alloreactive T-cell response, remains a restraining factor for the long-term survival of grafted islets. Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1 is a negative costimulatory molecule. PD-L1 deficiency within the donor heart accelerates allograft rejection. Here, we investigate whether PD-L1 deficiency in donor islets reduces allograft survival time.Glucose Stimulation Assays were performed to evaluate whether PD-L1 deficiency has detrimental effects on islet function. Islets isolated from PDL1-deficient mice or wild- type (WT mice (C57BL/6j were implanted beneath the renal capsule of streptozotocin (STZ-induced diabetic BALB/c mice. Blood glucose levels and graft survival time after transplantation were monitored. Moreover, we analyzed the residual islets, infiltrating immune cells and alloreactive cells from the recipients.PD-L1 deficiency within islets does not affect islet function. However, islet PD-L1 deficiency increased allograft rejection and was associated with enhanced inflammatory cell infiltration and recipient T-cell alloreactivity.This is the first report to demonstrate that PD-L1 deficiency accelerated islet allograft rejection and regulated recipient alloimmune responses.

Impact of T-cell-mediated immune response on xenogeneic heart valve transplantation: short-term success and mid-term failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Biermann, Anna C; Marzi, Julia; Brauchle, Eva; Schneider, Maria; Kornberger, Angela; Abdelaziz, Sherif; Wichmann, Julian L; Arendt, Christophe T; Nagel, Eike; Brockbank, Kelvin G M; Seifert, Martina; Schenke-Layland, Katja; Stock, Ulrich A

2018-04-01

Allogeneic frozen cryopreserved heart valves (allografts or homografts) are commonly used in clinical practice. A major obstacle for their application is the limited availability in particular for paediatrics. Allogeneic large animal studies revealed that alternative ice-free cryopreservation (IFC) results in better matrix preservation and reduced immunogenicity. The objective of this study was to evaluate xenogeneic (porcine) compared with allogeneic (ovine) IFC heart valves in a large animal study. IFC xenografts and allografts were transplanted in 12 juvenile merino sheep for 1-12 weeks. Immunohistochemistry, ex vivo computed tomography scans and transforming growth factor-β release profiles were analysed to evaluate postimplantation immunopathology. In addition, near-infrared multiphoton imaging and Raman spectroscopy were employed to evaluate matrix integrity of the leaflets. Acellular leaflets were observed in both groups 1 week after implantation. Allogeneic leaflets remained acellular throughout the entire study. In contrast, xenogeneic valves were infiltrated with abundant T-cells and severely thickened over time. No collagen or elastin changes could be detected in either group using multiphoton imaging. Raman spectroscopy with principal component analysis focusing on matrix-specific peaks confirmed no significant differences for explanted allografts. However, xenografts demonstrated clear matrix changes, enabling detection of distinct inflammatory-driven changes but without variations in the level of transforming growth factor-β. Despite short-term success, mid-term failure of xenogeneic IFC grafts due to a T-cell-mediated extracellular matrix-triggered immune response was shown.

Short- and long-term variations in non-linear dynamics of heart rate variability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kanters, J K; Højgaard, M V; Agner, E

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to investigate the short- and long-term variations in the non-linear dynamics of heart rate variability, and to determine the relationships between conventional time and frequency domain methods and the newer non-linear methods of characterizing heart rate...... rate and describes mainly linear correlations. Non-linear predictability is correlated with heart rate variability measured as the standard deviation of the R-R intervals and the respiratory activity expressed as power of the high-frequency band. The dynamics of heart rate variability changes suddenly...

Long-Term Impact of Cyclosporin Reduction with MMF Treatment in Chronic Allograft Dysfunction: REFERENECE Study 3-Year Follow Up

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L. Frimat

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Calcineurin inhibitor (CNI toxicity contributes to chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN. In the 2-year, randomized, study, we showed that 50% cyclosporin (CsA reduction in combination with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF treatment improves kidney function without increasing the risk for graft rejection/loss. To investigate the long-term effect of this regimen, we conducted a follow up study in 70 kidney transplant patients until 5 years after REFERENCE initiation. The improvement of kidney function was confirmed in the MMF group but not in the control group (CsA group. Four graft losses occurred, 2 in each group (graft survival in the MMF group 95.8% and 90.9% in control group. One death occurred in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of serious adverse events or acute graft rejections. A limitation is the weak proportion of patient still remaining within the control group. On the other hand, REFERENCE focuses on the CsA regimen while opinions about the tacrolimus ones are still debated. In conclusion, CsA reduction in the presence of MMF treatment seems to maintain kidney function and is well tolerated in the long term.

Long-Term Nationwide Follow-Up Study of Simple Congenital Heart Disease Diagnosed in Otherwise Healthy Children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Videbæk, Jørgen; Laursen, Henning Bækgaard; Olsen, Morten

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Systematic follow-up is currently not recommended for patients with simple congenital heart disease; however, only a few data exist on the long-term prognosis of simple congenital heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: We undertook a nationwide follow-up study of a cohort of 1241 simple...... congenital heart disease patients, diagnosed from 1963 through 1973, in otherwise healthy children and alive at 15 years of age. We identified 10 age- and sex-matched general population controls per patient. We followed the study population through Danish public registries from the age of 15 years up...... with simple congenital heart disease in the 1960s have substantially increased long-term mortality and cardiac morbidity compared with the general population. Further studies on the effectiveness of systematic medical follow-up programs appear warranted....

Radionuclide diagnosis of allograft rejection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

George, E.A.

1982-01-01

Interaction with one or more anatomical and physiopathological characteristics of the rejecting renal allograft is suggested by those radioagents utilized specifically for the diagnosis of allograft rejection. Rejection, the most common cause of declining allograft function, is frequently mimicked clinically or masked by other immediate or long term post transplant complications. Understanding of the anatomical pathological features and kinetics of rejection and their modification by immunosuppressive maintenance and therapy are important for the proper clinical utilization of these radioagents. Furthermore, in selecting these radionuclides, one has to consider the comparative availability, preparatory and procedural simplicity, acquisition and display techniques and the possibility of timely report. The clinical utilities of radiofibrinogen, /sup 99m/Tc sulfur colloid and 67 Ga in the diagnosis of allograft rejection have been evaluated to a variable extent in the past. The potential usefulness of the recently developed preparations of 111 In labeled autologous leukocytes and platelets are presently under investigation

An evaluation of the effects of long term cryopreservation, cause of death, and time between death and donation on heart valve leaflet viability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strachan, K.

1999-01-01

The protocol for cryopreservation of allograft heart valves at the Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria was based on validation studies on the viability of the heart valve leaflets at the time of processing. The heart block is removed within 24 hours of death and the aor-tic and pulmonary valves trimmed immediately following retrieval. Following this processing, the valves are incubated in antibiotics at 30 degree C for 6 to 8 hours before being frozen in 10% DMSO at a controlled rate. A sample of tricuspid valve leaflet is placed in Krebs solution at the time of trimfning and is used for viability studies. Leaflet viability studies have been perfon-ned on all heart valves retrieved from 1993 to the present day at the Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria. Viability involves a qualitative assessment of the cellular outgrowth by leaflet fibroblasts, this assessment ranging from '-' for no outgrowth to '++++' for maximum outgrowth. Surgeons do not request valves with any particular viability and will use them whether they are viable or not. This evaluation was to determine the effects of long-term cryopreservation, cause of death, and also time lapse of heart removal following death on the viability of the retrieved leaflets. The aim of investigating the effects of long-term cryopreservation was to determine whether there was any correlation between initial viability and viability following storage for several months to several years. It was also decided to investigate whether there was any correlation between time length between death and heart retrieval and the viability. It was also thought that the cause of death may have had an effect on the viability, for example, did death by carbon monoxide poisoning have an effect on the viability of heart valve cells. Heart valves, which had been cryopreserved but could not be transplanted for various reasons were used to study the effects of cryopreservation in this study. These were thawed according to protocol and a sample of the valve

Human meniscal proteoglycan metabolism in long-term tissue culture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verbruggen, G.; Verdonk, R.; Veys, E. M.; van Daele, P.; de Smet, P.; van den Abbeele, K.; Claus, B.; Baeten, D.

1996-01-01

For the purpose of human meniscal allografting, menisci have been maintained viable in in vitro culture. The influence of long-term tissue culture on the extracellular matrix metabolism of the meniscus has been studied. Fetal calf serum (FCS) was used as a supplement for the growth factors necessary

A new in vitro approach to determine acquired tolerance in long-term kidney allograft recipients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinsmoen, N.L.; Kaufman, D.; Matas, A.; Sutherland, D.E.; Najarian, J.S.; Bach, F.H.

1990-01-01

Previous studies indicate some kidney allograft recipients treated with total lymphoid irradiation, cyclosporine, or conventional immunosuppressive therapy demonstrate specific proliferative unresponsiveness in mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) to donor cells at various times posttransplant. To investigate possible donor-specific hyporeactivity, we have studied 3 patients treated with TLI whose grafts have survived longer than 10 years; 2 patients given the same immunosuppressive protocol but without TLI whose grafts have survived longer than 10 years; and 27 CsA-treated living-related donor and cadaver-allograft recipients 1 year posttransplant. We confirmed previous observations of hyporeactivity of some patients' cells to stimulation by donor cells. In addition, we identified hyporeactivity to stimulation by homozygous typing cells (HTCs) defining the HLA-Dw specificities of the donor cells for all 3 of the 3 TLI patients, 1 of the 2 non-TLI patients, and 9 of the 27 patients 1 year posttransplant. The LRD recipients with donor-specific hyporeactivity as defined by the HTC analysis demonstrated fewer rejection episodes (25% vs. 57%) and lower mean creatinine levels (1.18 vs 1.78 mg/dL) than patients without donor-specific hyporeactivity. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of monitoring the immune status of allograft recipients posttransplant by means of HTC analysis, eliminating the need for pretransplant specimens. This approach provides a possible means to assess which patients may have acquired donor-specific hyporeactivity to their kidney allograft and thus may require less immunosuppression

Freeze-dried microarterial allografts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raman, J.; Hargrave, J.C.

1990-01-01

Rehydrated freeze-dried microarterial allografts were implanted to bridge arterial defects using New Zealand White rabbits as the experimental model. Segments of artery from the rabbit ear and thigh were harvested and preserved for a minimum of 2 weeks after freeze-drying. These allografts, approximately 1 mm in diameter and ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 cm in length, were rehydrated and then implanted in low-pressure and high-pressure arterial systems. Poor patency was noted in low-pressure systems in both allografts and autografts, tested in 12 rabbits. In the high-pressure arterial systems, allografts that were freeze-dried and reconstituted failed in a group of 10 rabbits with an 8-week patency rate of 30 percent. Gamma irradiation in an effort to reduce infection and antigenicity of grafts after freeze-drying was associated with a patency rate of 10 percent at 8 weeks in this system in another group of 10 rabbits. Postoperative cyclosporin A therapy was associated with a patency rate of 22.2 percent in the high-pressure arterial system in a 9-rabbit group. Control autografts in this system in a group of 10 rabbits showed a 100 percent patency at 8 weeks. Microarterial grafts depend on perfusion pressure of the vascular bed for long-term patency. Rehydrated freeze-dried microarterial allografts do not seem to function well in lengths of 1 to 2.5 cm when implanted in a high-pressure arterial system. Freeze-dried arterial allografts are probably not antigenic

Outcomes and hospital admissions during long-term support with a HeartMate II

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rossing, Kasper; Jung, Mette Holme; Sander, Kaare

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices like the HeartMate II (HMII) improves survival in severe heart failure but little is known about the incidence and causes of hospitalizations during long-term support which was evaluated in this study. DESIGN: Observational follow-up study...... comprising all patients who received a HMII at our institution either as bridge-to-transplantation (BTT) or destination therapy (DT). All patients were followed from HMII implantation to transplantation, device explantation, death, or May 2015. RESULTS: The HMII was implanted in 66(44 BTT, 22 DT) patients...

Early kidney allograft loss - is there scope for improvement?

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Paolo

2018-02-17

Increased longevity matching using Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) to optimize long-term kidney allograft survival has been central to the effort of appropriate allocation of deceased donor kidneys. The data by Helenterä and co-workers in this issue, who looked at predictors of early allograft loss, should prompt an analysis of whether predictors of short-term graft survival can improve KDPI-based decisions when considering whether to accept or decline a deceased donor kidney offer. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Allograft in bone tumour surgery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sengupta, S.

1999-01-01

In the last twenty years, there has been a vast improvement in the prognosis of primary malignant tumours of bone. This is due to many factors including early detection, staging and classification of tumours as a result of better staining and imaging techniques, better surgical technology, e.g. endoprosthesis and most importantly adjuvant treatment with cytotoxic drugs. As a result of long term survival, amputation of limb has more or less been replaced by limb salvage surgery. This procedure consists of two parts. Primary objective is of course complete removal of the tumour by adequate soft tissue cover and secondarily by reconstruction of the locomotor system, If possible with retention of the function of the limb. These procedures include endo-prosthetic replacement or arthroplasty and arthrodesis using autologus grafts, allograft or combination. With the development of bone banks and assured safety of preserved bones, reconstructive limb salvage surgery using massive allograft is gradually replacing prosthetic implants. The advantages include replacement of articular surfaces, incorporation of the graft to the host bone, attachment of bone tissue and increased probably permanent survival. Allograft can be used for intercalary replacement, osteo-articular arthroplasty arthrodesis or filling large cavities. Inherent complication of massive allograft are disease transmission, infection, delayed and non-union, pathological fractures, mechanical failure and joint destruction. Several limb salvage procedures using allografts have been carried out in our institution with one failure due to infection. Paucity of available allograft has restricted more such procedures to be carried out

Visualization of heart rate variability of long-term heart transplant patient by transition networks: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna eWdowczyk

2016-03-01

Full Text Available We present a heart transplant patient at his 17th year of uncomplicated follow-up. Within a frame of routine check out several tests were performed. With such a long and uneventful follow-up some degree of graft reinnervation could be anticipated. However, the patient's electrocardiogram and exercise parameters seemed largely inconclusive in this regard. The exercise heart rate dynamics were suggestive of only mild, if any parasympathetic reinnervation of the graft with persisting sympathetic activation. On the other hand, traditional heart rate variability (HRV indices were inadequately high, due to erratic rhythm resulting from interference of the persisting recipient sinus node or nonconducted atrial parasystole. New tools, originated from network representation of time series, by visualization short-term dynamical patterns, provided a method to discern HRV increase due to reinnervation from other reasons.

Donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies with antibody-mediated rejection and long-term outcomes following heart transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Clerkin, Kevin J; Farr, Maryjane A; Restaino, Susan W; Zorn, Emmanuel; Latif, Farhana; Vasilescu, Elena R; Marboe, Charles C; Colombo, Paolo C; Mancini, Donna M

2017-05-01

Donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) are common after heart transplantation and are associated with rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, and mortality. A noninvasive diagnostic test for pathologic antibody-mediated rejection (pAMR) does not exist. From January 1, 2010, through August 31, 2013, 221 consecutive adult patients underwent heart transplantation and were followed through October 1, 2015. The primary objective was to determine whether the presence of DSA could detect AMR at the time of pathologic diagnosis. Secondary analyses included association of DSA (stratified by major histocompatibility complex class and de novo status) during AMR with new graft dysfunction, graft loss (mortality or retransplantation), and development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy. During the study period, 69 patients (31.2%) had DSA (24% had de novo DSA), and there were 74 episodes of pAMR in 38 patients. Sensitivity of DSA at any mean fluorescence intensity to detect concurrent pAMR was only 54.3%. The presence of any DSA during pAMR increased the odds of graft dysfunction (odds ratio = 5.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-21.47; p = 0.018), adjusting for age, sex, and timing of AMR. Circulating class II DSA after transplantation increased risk of future pAMR (hazard ratio = 2.97; 95% CI, 1.31-6.73; p = 0.009). Patients who developed de novo class II DSA had 151% increased risk of graft loss (contingent on 30-day survival) compared with patients who did not have DSA (95% CI, 1.11-5.69; p = 0.027). DSA were inadequate to diagnose pAMR. Class II DSA provided prognostic information regarding future pAMR, graft dysfunction with pAMR, and graft loss. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-term follow-up of kidney allografts in patients with sickle cell hemoglobinopathy Transplante renal na anemia falciforme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João R. Friedrisch

2003-06-01

Full Text Available Although sickle cell anemia and sickle cell disease produce a variety of functional renal abnormalities they uncommonly cause end stage renal failure. Renal transplantation has been a successful alternative for the treatment of the rare terminal chronic renal failure with outcomes comparable with non-sickle recipients. This approach, however, has not been often described on patients with renal failure associated with SC hemoglobinopathy. Here we report the outcomes of two patients with chronic renal failure due to SC hemoglobinopathies who underwent renal transplantation. At the time of the transplantation they were both severely anemic and had frequent vasoocclosive pain crises. Both patients evolved with good allograft function, near normal hematological parameters, and very rare pain crisis, thirteen and eight years after transplant. These cases illustrate that terminal renal failure due to SC hemoglobinopathy can be successfully managed by renal transplantation and satisfactory long-term results are achievable not only in terms of renal allograft function but also of their hematological condition.Embora a anemia falciforme e as síndromes falciformes freqüentemente causem várias alterações funcionais renais, não é comum a insuficiência renal terminal. Nestes casos, o transplante renal é uma alternativa que se acompanha de resultados comparáveis aos obtidos em receptores sem hemoglobinopatias. Esta estratégia terapêutica tem sido, no entanto, pouco relatada para portadores de hemoglobinopatia SC. Este relato descreve a evolução de dois pacientes portadores de hemoglobinopatia SC que foram submetidos ao transplante renal. No momento do transplante ambos apresentavam severa anemia e crises dolorosas freqüentes. Os pacientes evoluíram com boa função do enxerto, parâmetros hematológicos quase normais e praticamente assintomáticos do ponto de vista da hemoglobinopatia, treze e oito anos após o transplante. Estes casos ilustram

Revisiting the phenotypic and genetic profiling of anergic T cells mediating long-term transplant tolerance.

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You, Sylvaine; Chatenoud, Lucienne

2018-02-01

Herein our focus will be to revisit peripheral tolerance mechanisms and in particular 'active' or 'dominant' tolerance as originally defined and mediated by regulatory CD4FoxP3 T lymphocytes (Treg) and also T-cell anergy that appears as a major mainstay to support long-term allograft survival. It is at the same time interesting and rewarding that the tool that recently guided our efforts along this path is the in-vivo use of CD3 antibody, the first monoclonal introduced in the clinic (Orthoclone OKT3) about 35 years ago to treat and prevent rejection of renal allografts. Beyond their immunosuppressive activity, whenever administered judiciously, CD3 antibodies promote robust allograft tolerance through selective purging of alloreactive effectors, resetting Treg-mediated active tolerance and promoting a unique subset of anergic CD8 T cells. The new findings discussed open up new perspectives from both a fundamental and a clinical point of view. In basic research, concrete molecular signaling paths are now spotted to finely dissect the conditions that lead to the establishment and maintenance of robust T-lymphocyte anergy mediating allograft tolerance. In the clinic, this may rapidly translate into novel biomarkers to be used in parallel to the ones already available, to better adapt posttransplant immunotherapy and monitor for long-term allograft acceptance.

Orthotopic Transplantation of Achilles Tendon Allograft in Rats

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Aynardi, Michael; Zahoor, Talal; Mitchell, Reed; Loube, Jeffrey; Feltham, Tyler; Manandhar, Lumanti; Paudel, Sharada; Schon, Lew; Zhang, Zijun

2018-01-01

The biology and function of orthotopic transplantation of Achilles tendon allograft are unknown. Particularly, the revitalization of Achilles allograft is a clinical concern. Achilles allografts were harvested from donor rats and stored at −80 °C. Subcutaneous adipose tissue was harvested from the would-be allograft recipient rats for isolation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs were cultured with growth differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5) and applied onto Achilles allografts on the day of transplantation. After the native Achilles tendon was resected from the left hind limb of the rats, Achilles allograft, with or without autologous MSCs, was implanted and sutured with calf muscles proximally and calcaneus distally. Animal gait was recorded presurgery and postsurgery weekly. The animals were sacrificed at week 4, and the transplanted Achilles allografts were collected for biomechanical testing and histology. The operated limbs had altered gait. By week 4, the paw print intensity, stance time, and duty cycle (percentage of the stance phase in a step cycle) of the reconstructed limbs were mostly recovered to the baselines recorded before surgery. Maximum load of failure was not different between Achilles allografts, with or without MSCs, and the native tendons. The Achilles allograft supplemented with MSCs had higher cellularity than the Achilles allograft without MSCs. Deposition of fine collagen (type III) fibers was active in Achilles allograft, with or without MSCs, but it was more evenly distributed in the allografts that were incubated with MSCs. In conclusion, orthotopically transplanted Achilles allograft healed with host tissues, regained strength, and largely restored Achilles function in 4 wk in rats. It is therefore a viable option for the reconstruction of a large Achilles tendon defect. Supplementation of MSCs improved repopulation of Achilles allograft, but large animal models, with long-term follow up and cell tracking, may be required to fully

Long-Term Exposure to Road Traffic Noise and Nitrogen Dioxide and Risk of Heart Failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Mette; Wendelboe Nielsen, Olav; Sajadieh, Ahmad

2017-01-01

(NO2) were associated with incident heart failure. METHODS: In a cohort of 57,053 people 50-64 y of age at enrollment in the period 1993-1997, we identified 2,550 cases of first-ever hospital admission for heart failure during a mean follow-up time of 13.4 y. Present and historical residential....... CONCLUSIONS: Long-term exposure to NO2 and road traffic noise was associated with higher risk of heart failure, mainly among men, in both single- and two-pollutant models. High exposure to both pollutants was associated with highest risk. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1272....

Long-Term Exposure to Road Traffic Noise and Nitrogen Dioxide and Risk of Heart Failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Mette; Wendelboe Nielsen, Olav; Sajadieh, Ahmad

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Although air pollution and road traffic noise have been associated with higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, associations with heart failure have received only little attention. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate whether long-term exposure to road traffic noise and nitrogen dioxid...

Innovative Perspective: Gadolinium-Free Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Long-Term Follow-Up after Kidney Transplantation

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Mick J. M. van Eijs

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Since the mid-1980s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI has been investigated as a non- or minimally invasive tool to probe kidney allograft function. Despite this long-standing interest, MRI still plays a subordinate role in daily practice of transplantation nephrology. With the introduction of new functional MRI techniques, administration of exogenous gadolinium-based contrast agents has often become unnecessary and true non-invasive assessment of allograft function has become possible. This raises the question why application of MRI in the follow-up of kidney transplantation remains restricted, despite promising results. Current literature on kidney allograft MRI is mainly focused on assessment of (sub acute kidney injury after transplantation. The aim of this review is to survey whether MRI can provide valuable diagnostic information beyond 1 year after kidney transplantation from a mechanistic point of view. The driving force behind chronic allograft nephropathy is believed to be chronic hypoxia. Based on this, techniques that visualize kidney perfusion and oxygenation, scarring, and parenchymal inflammation deserve special interest. We propose that functional MRI mechanistically provides tools for diagnostic work-up in long-term follow-up of kidney allografts.

Cellular basis for accumulation of 111In-labeled leukocytes and platelets in rejecting cardiac allografts: concise communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, T.S.; Oluwole, S.; Fawwaz, R.A.; Wolff, M.; Kuromoto, N.; Satake, K.; Hardy, M.A.; Alderson, P.O.

1982-01-01

Biodistribution and imaging studies in rats showed that 111 In-labeled leukocytes and platelets accumulate progressively with time after transplantation in cardiac allografts undergoing rejection, but do not accumulate in normal syngeneic heart grafts. Maximum heart allograft-to-blood ratios of 9:1 were obtained, and allograft-to-native heart ratios of 17:1. Microscopic studies of the rejecting cardiac allografts showed that histologic findings paralleled the cellular changes predicted by the radionuclide studies. Intravenously administered 67 Ga citrate and /sup 99m/Tc sulfur colloid failed to show significant accumulation in rejecting grafts. The findings suggest that cellular rejection, rather than nonspecific inflammatory changes, is the primary basis for accumulation of 111 In leukocytes and platelets in rejecting cardiac allografts

Cellular basis for accumulation of In-111-labeled leukocytes and platelets in rejecting cardiac allografts: concise communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, T.S.T.; Oluwole, S.; Fawwaz, R.A.; Wolff, M.; Kuromoto, N.; Satake, K.; Hardy, M.A.; Alderson, P.O.

1982-01-01

Biodistribution and imaging studies in rats showed that In-111-labeled leukocytes and platelets accumulate progressively with time after transplantation in cardiac allografts undergoing rejection, but do not accumulate in normal syngeneic heart grafts. Maximum heart allograft-to-blood ratios of 9:1 were obtained, and allograft-to-native heart ratios of 17:1. Microscopic studies of the rejecting cardiac allografts showed that histologic findings paralleled the cellular changes predicted by the radionuclide studies. Intravenously administered Ga-67 citrate and Tc-99m sulfur colloid failed to show significant accumulation in rejecting grafts. The findings suggest that cellular rejection, rather than nonspecific inflammatory changes, is the primary basis for accumulation of In-111 leukocytes and platelets in rejecting cardiac allografts

Sandwich allografts for long-bone nonunions in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta: a retrospective study.

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Puvanesarajah, Varun; Shapiro, Jay R; Sponseller, Paul D

2015-02-18

Patients with osteogenesis imperfecta often develop nonunions, as internal fixation has limited applicability in this condition. We report the outcomes of a modified "sandwich technique" in the treatment of long-bone nonunions in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta; this technique brings circumferential stabilization and normal collagen to the nonunion site. From May 2003 through February 2012, twelve patients (eight females, four males; median age, 39.0 years; range, eleven to seventy-eight years) who had osteogenesis imperfecta (Sillence type I [three], type III [eight], and type IV [one]) and a combined total of thirteen nonunions (two humeral, two radial, three femoral, four tibial, and two ulnar; median duration, 15.0 months; range, six to 204 months) were treated at our institution with compressed sandwich allograft cortical struts. The struts were fashioned to be wide enough to allow for increased osteoconductive surface area and to approximate a hemicylindrical shape. Treatment history and demographics data were acquired through retrospective chart review. Follow-up radiographs were analyzed by two attending orthopaedic surgeons to determine radiographic findings. The median follow-up time was 4.6 years (range, 2.1 to 10.3 years). All thirteen nonunions, including one requiring a second graft procedure, healed with abundant, smooth allograft incorporation, resulting in an initial healing rate of 92% because of a refracture in one patient. This patient's nonunion ultimately healed with additional allograft struts and a new intramedullary rod. One patient required removal of prominent screws. The final follow-up examinations revealed no pain or refracture at the original nonunion site. All patients regained their prefracture level of function. Sandwich allograft struts constitute a durable, safe method for the stabilization and healing of persistent long-bone nonunions in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta. All patients showed incorporation of the

Bone allografting in children

Science.gov (United States)

Sadovoy, M. A.; Kirilova, I. A.; Podorognaya, V. T.; Matsuk, S. A.; Novoselov, V. P.; Moskalev, A. V.; Bondarenko, A. V.; Afanasev, L. M.; Gubina, E. V.

2017-09-01

A total of 522 patients with benign and intermediate bone tumors of various locations, aged 1 to 15 years, were operated in the period from 1996 to 2016. To diagnose skeleton tumors, we used clinical observation, X-ray, and, if indicated, tomography and tumor site biopsy. In the extensive bone resection, we performed bone reconstruction with the replacement of a defect with an allograft (bone strips, deproteinized and spongy grafts), sometimes in the combination with bone autografting. After segmental resection, the defects were filled with bone strips in the form of matchstick grafts; the allografts were received from the Laboratory for Tissue Preparation and Preservation of the Novosibirsk Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics. According to the X-ray data, a complete reorganization of bone grafts occurred within 1.5 to 3 years. The long-term result was assessed as good.

Role of mobile passenger lymphocytes in the rejection of renal and cardiac allografts in the rat. A passenger lymphocyte-mediated graft-versus-host reaction amplifies the host response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

van Vrieshilfgaarde, R.; Hermans, P.; Terpstra, J.L.; van Breda Viresman, P.J.

1980-01-01

It is demonstrated that passenger lymphocytes migrate out of rat renal allografts into host spleens in a radioresistant fashion. These mobile passenger lymphocytes within BN kidney and heart transplants are immunocompetent, since they elicit a graft-versus-host (GVH) reaction in the spleens of (LEW x BN)F2 hybrid hosts. The greater GVH reaction in (LEW x BN)F1 recipients of BN kidneys reflects the greater number of mobile passenger lymphocytes in the kidney when compared to the heart. The mobile passenger lymphocytes within BN renal allografts also cause a proliferative response in the spleens of the LEW hosts as well as an accelerated rejection of BN renal allografts when compared to BN cardiac allografts, for the differences between BN kidney and heart, both in terms of splenomegaly elicited in LEW as well as tempo of rejection, are abolished by total body x-irradiation of the donor with 900 rad. Results indicate that a mobile passenger lymphocyte mediated GVH reaction in the central lymphoid organs of the host augments the host response to allogenic kidneys and contributes materially to first-set renal allograft rejection; this GVH reaction on the other hand is not conspicuously present in LEW recipients of BN cardiac allografts and has therefore little effect on first-set cardiac allograft rejection

Selective lymphoid irradiation: III. Prolongation of cardiac xenografts and allografts in presensitized rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardy, M.A.; Oluwole, S.; Fawwaz, R.; Satake, K.; Nowygrod, R.; Reemtsma, K.

1982-01-01

Selective lymphoid irradiation (SLI) with palladium-109-hematoporphyrin (Pd-H) combined with antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) induces either donor-specific permanent rat heart allograft acceptance or significant allograft prolongation depending on the degree of donor-recipient matching. The purpose of this study was to determine if SLI combined with ALG can affect ACI heart allograft survival in Lewis recipients presensitized to ACI, and of hamster heart xenografts of Lewis rats. SLI combined with ALG delays allograft and xenograft rejection in the presence of induced or preformed antidonor antibodies, and converts primarily a humoral rejection into a cellular rejection by mechanisms as yet uncertain. Such peritransplant treatment had significant effect on the levels of antidonor complement-dependent cytotoxic antibody titers but did not correlate directly with graft survival. Histological analysis of rejected hearts in all groups demonstrated primarily a humoral hyperacute rejection in control animals and in recipients treated with ALG alone, while peritransplant treatment with Pd-H and ALG resulted not only in prolonged graft survival but histologically, primarily a cellular rejection of the graft

Long-term use of amiodarone before heart transplantation significantly reduces early post-transplant atrial fibrillation and is not associated with increased mortality after heart transplantation

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Rivinius R

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Rasmus Rivinius,1 Matthias Helmschrott,1 Arjang Ruhparwar,2 Bastian Schmack,2 Christian Erbel,1 Christian A Gleissner,1 Mohammadreza Akhavanpoor,1 Lutz Frankenstein,1 Fabrice F Darche,1 Patrick A Schweizer,1 Dierk Thomas,1 Philipp Ehlermann,1 Tom Bruckner,3 Hugo A Katus,1 Andreas O Doesch1 1Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, 2Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 3Institute for Medical Biometry and Informatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany Background: Amiodarone is a frequently used antiarrhythmic drug in patients with end-stage heart failure. Given its long half-life, pre-transplant use of amiodarone has been controversially discussed, with divergent results regarding morbidity and mortality after heart transplantation (HTX.Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term use of amiodarone before HTX on early post-transplant atrial fibrillation (AF and mortality after HTX.Methods: Five hundred and thirty patients (age ≥18 years receiving HTX between June 1989 and December 2012 were included in this retrospective single-center study. Patients with long-term use of amiodarone before HTX (≥1 year were compared to those without long-term use (none or <1 year of amiodarone. Primary outcomes were early post-transplant AF and mortality after HTX. The Kaplan–Meier estimator using log-rank tests was applied for freedom from early post-transplant AF and survival.Results: Of the 530 patients, 74 (14.0% received long-term amiodarone therapy, with a mean duration of 32.3±26.3 months. Mean daily dose was 223.0±75.0 mg. Indications included AF, Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. Patients with long-term use of amiodarone before HTX had significantly lower rates of early post-transplant AF (P=0.0105. Further, Kaplan–Meier analysis of freedom from early post-transplant AF showed significantly lower rates of AF in this

Early Posttransplant Tryptophan Metabolism Predicts Long-term Outcome of Human Kidney Transplantation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vavrincova-Yaghi, Diana; Seelen, Marc A.; Kema, Ido P.; Deelman, Leo E.; Heuvel, van den Marius; Breukelman, Henk; Van den Eynde, Benoit J.; Henning, Rob H.; van Goor, Harry; Sandovici, Maria

Background. Chronic transplant dysfunction (CTD) is the leading cause of long-term loss of the renal allograft. So far, no single test is available to reliably predict the risk for CTD. Monitoring of tryptophan (trp) metabolism through indoleamine 2.3-dioxygenase (IDO) has been previously proposed

Noninvasive diagnosis of allograft vascular disease after heart transplantation

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Fernando Bacal

2001-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictive values of noninvasive tests for the detection of allograft vascular disease. METHODS: We studied 39 patients with mean ages of 48±13 years and a follow-up period of 86±13 months. The diagnosis of allograft vascular disease was made by cine-coronary arteriography, and it was considered as positive if lesions existed that caused > or = 50% obstruction of the lumen. Patients underwent 24h Holter monitoring, thallium scintigraphy, a treadmill stress test, and dobutamine stress echocardiography. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were determined in percentages for each method, as compared with the cine-coronary arteriography results. RESULTS: Allograft vascular disease was found in 15 (38% patients. The Holter test showed 15.4% sensitivity, 95.5% specificity. For the treadmill stress test, sensitivity was 10%, specificity was 100%. When thallium scintigraphy was used, sensitivity was 40%, specificity 95.8%. On echocardiography with dobutamine, we found a 63.6% sensitivity, 91.3% specificity. When the dobutamine echocardiogram was associated with scintigraphy, sensitivity was 71.4%, specificity was 87%. CONCLUSION: In this group of patients, the combination of two noninvasive methods (dobutamine echocardiography and thallium scintigraphy may be a good alternative for the detection of allograft vascular disease in asymptomatic patients with normal ventricular function.

Sickle Cell Disease with Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease: Long-Term Outcomes in 5 Children.

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Iannucci, Glen J; Adisa, Olufolake A; Oster, Matthew E; McConnell, Michael; Mahle, William T

2016-12-01

Sickle cell disease is a risk factor for cerebrovascular accidents in the pediatric population. This risk is compounded by hypoxemia. Cyanotic congenital heart disease can expose patients to prolonged hypoxemia. To our knowledge, the long-term outcome of patients who have combined sickle cell and cyanotic congenital heart disease has not been reported. We retrospectively reviewed patient records at our institution and identified 5 patients (3 girls and 2 boys) who had both conditions. Their outcomes were uniformly poor: 4 died (age range, 12 mo-17 yr); 3 had documented cerebrovascular accidents; and 3 developed ventricular dysfunction. The surviving patient had developmental delays. On the basis of this series, we suggest mitigating hypoxemia, and thus the risk of stroke, in patients who have sickle cell disease and cyanotic congenital heart disease. Potential therapies include chronic blood transfusions, hydroxyurea, earlier surgical correction to reduce the duration of hypoxemia, and heart or bone marrow transplantation.

Long-term effects of high-intensity interval training in heart transplant recipients: A 5-year follow-up study of a randomized controlled trial.

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Yardley, Marianne; Gullestad, Lars; Bendz, Bjørn; Bjørkelund, Elisabeth; Rolid, Katrine; Arora, Satish; Nytrøen, Kari

2017-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that high-intensity interval training (HIT) is superior to moderate-continuous exercise in general and in cardiovascular diseases. Recently, we also found HIT safe and efficient after heart transplantation (HTx). This study reports the 5-year long-term effects. Forty-one HTx patients who had completed the previous 12-month randomized controlled trial, comparing HIT intervention with usual care, were eligible. In particular, we measured VO 2peak , muscular capacity, intravascular ultrasound, and questionnaires measuring physical and mental health. The baseline mean±SD values were as follows: age; 49.1±16.5 years, men; 68%, time since HTx: 4.1±2.2 years. Within the HIT group, initial VO 2peak increased significantly from 27.7±5.7 to 31.2±5.3 mL/kg/min. However, during the next 4 years, VO 2peak decreased to 26.0±6.2 mL/kg/min. The control group showed slightly decreasing VO 2peak values during the entire 5-year period. The HIT group reported significantly less anxiety symptoms, but there were no long-term differences in VO 2peak , muscular capacity, or cardiac allograft vasculopathy between the groups. The similar VO 2peak values correspond to our findings of similar everyday activity. Our findings suggest that intermittent periods of HIT may be necessary to maintain the initial benefits gained from the intervention. However, HIT probably reduces the burden of anxiety, which is a frequent health issue following HTx. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Validation of systems biology derived molecular markers of renal donor organ status associated with long term allograft function.

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Perco, Paul; Heinzel, Andreas; Leierer, Johannes; Schneeberger, Stefan; Bösmüller, Claudia; Oberhuber, Rupert; Wagner, Silvia; Engler, Franziska; Mayer, Gert

2018-05-03

Donor organ quality affects long term outcome after renal transplantation. A variety of prognostic molecular markers is available, yet their validity often remains undetermined. A network-based molecular model reflecting donor kidney status based on transcriptomics data and molecular features reported in scientific literature to be associated with chronic allograft nephropathy was created. Significantly enriched biological processes were identified and representative markers were selected. An independent kidney pre-implantation transcriptomics dataset of 76 organs was used to predict estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values twelve months after transplantation using available clinical data and marker expression values. The best-performing regression model solely based on the clinical parameters donor age, donor gender, and recipient gender explained 17% of variance in post-transplant eGFR values. The five molecular markers EGF, CD2BP2, RALBP1, SF3B1, and DDX19B representing key molecular processes of the constructed renal donor organ status molecular model in addition to the clinical parameters significantly improved model performance (p-value = 0.0007) explaining around 33% of the variability of eGFR values twelve months after transplantation. Collectively, molecular markers reflecting donor organ status significantly add to prediction of post-transplant renal function when added to the clinical parameters donor age and gender.

Reversibility of cortical hyperostosis following long-term prostaglandin E1 therapy in infants with ductus-dependent congenital heart disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høst, A; Halken, S; Andersen, P E

1988-01-01

Two neonates with complex cyanotic congenital heart disease, receiving long-term prostaglandin E1 infusion, for 59 and 78 days respectively, demonstrated significant radiographic changes of symmetric cortical hyperostosis of the long bones. Bone biopsies from one of the patients elucidated...

Meniscal Allograft Transplantation: State of the Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Trentacosta, Natasha; Graham, William C; Gersoff, Wayne K

2016-06-01

Meniscal allograft transplantation has evolved over the years to provide a state-of-the-art technique for the sports medicine surgeon to utilize in preserving contact mechanics and function of the knee in irreparable meniscal pathology. However, this procedure continues to spark considerable debate on proper tissue processing techniques, acceptable indications, methods of implantation, and potential long-term outcomes.

The impairment of true glomerular filtration rate in long-term cyclosporine-treated pediatric allograft recipients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDiarmid, S.V.; Ettenger, R.B.; Hawkins, R.A.; Senguttvan, P.; Busuttil, R.W.; Vargas, J.; Berquist, W.E.; Ament, M.E.

1990-01-01

We performed indium-111-DTPA plasma clearance studies in 61 pediatric kidney and liver recipients treated with cyclosporine to compare true glomerular filtration rate with calculated GFR (cGFR). The mean true GFR of 61.9 +/- 36.6 ml/min/1.73 m2 indicated renal impairment. The mean cGFR of 85.2 +/- 22.4 ml/min/1.73 m2 was significantly higher (P less than 0.001), and overestimated GFR by 38%. cGFR alone did not accurately reflect the degree of renal dysfunction. A group of 48 pediatric orthotopic liver transplant recipients was studied in more detail: 73% of these patients had a true GFR less than 70 ml/min/1.73 m2, while 85% had a true GFR below 90 ml/min/1.73 m2, the lower limit for normal GFR in children. The mean true GFR for patients treated more than 24 months with CsA was lower (P = 0.02) than patients treated with CsA for 12 to 24 months. OLT patients with normal true GFR (greater than 90 ml/min/1.73 m2) had significantly lower plasma CsA levels, and 50% of patients with a true GFR less than or equal to 50 ml/min/1.73 m2 had hypertension. There was no effect on true GFR of age, liver function, azathioprine use, or peritransplant treatment with other nephrotoxic drugs. We conclude that true GFR is significantly impaired in long-term CsA-treated allograft pediatric recipients. Calculations of GFR underestimate the degree of renal dysfunction. As patients treated greater than 24 months had the lowest true GFRs, the fall in GFR may be progressive

Meniscal allograft transplantation: a meta-analysis

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De Bruycker Manolito

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This meta-analysis evaluates the mid- to long-term survival outcome of MAT (meniscal allograft transplantation. Potential prognosticators, with particular focus on chondral status and age of the patient at the time of transplantation, were also analysed. Study design: Meta-analysis. Methods: An online database search was performed using following search string: “meniscal allograft transplantation” and “outcome”. A total of 65 articles were analysed for a total of 3157 performed MAT with a mean follow-up of 5.4 years. Subjective and clinical data was analysed. Results: The subjective and objective results of 2977 patients (3157 allografts were analysed; 70% were male, 30% were female. Thirty-eight percent received an isolated MAT. All other patients underwent at least one concomitant procedure. Lysholm, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome (KOOS, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS scores were analysed. All scores showed a good patient satisfaction at long-term follow-up. The mean overall survival rate was 80.9%. Complication rates were comparable to standard meniscal repair surgery. There was a degenerative evolution in osteoarthritis with at least one grade in 1760 radiographically analysed patients. Concomitant procedures seem to have no effect on the outcome. Age at transplantation is a negative prognosticator. The body mass index (BMI of the patient shows a slightly negative correlation with the outcome of MAT. Conclusions: MAT is a viable solution for the younger patient with chronic pain in the meniscectomised knee joint. The complications are not severe and comparable to meniscal repair. The overall failure rate at final follow-up is acceptable and the allograft heals well in most cases, but MAT cannot be seen as a definitive solution for post-meniscectomy pain. The correct approach to the chronic painful total meniscectomised knee joint thus requires consideration of all

Short- and Long-Term Prognostic Utility of the HEART Score in Patients Evaluated in the Emergency Department for Possible Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Tarun; Nowak, Richard; Hudson, Michael; Frisoli, Tiberio; Jacobsen, Gordon; McCord, James

2016-06-01

The HEART score is a risk-stratification tool that was developed and validated for patients evaluated for possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the emergency department (ED). We sought to determine the short-term and long-term prognostic utility of the HEART score. A retrospective single-center analysis of 947 patients evaluated for possible ACS in the ED in 1999 was conducted. Patients were followed for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at 30 days: death, acute myocardial infarction, or revascularization procedure. All-cause mortality was assessed at 5 years. The HEART score was compared with the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score. At 30 days, 14% (135/947) of patients had an MACE: 48 deaths (5%), 84 acute myocardial infarctions (9%), and 48 (5%) revascularization procedures. The MACE rate in patients with HEART score ≤3 was 0.6% (1/175) involving a revascularization procedure, 9.5% (53/557) in patients with HEART score between 4 and 6, and 38% (81/215) with HEART score ≥7. The C-statistic for the HEART score was 0.82 and 0.68 for the TIMI score for predicting 30-day MACE (P < 0.05). Patients with HEART score ≤3 had lower 5-year mortality rate compared with those with TIMI score of 0 (10.6% vs. 20.5%, P = 0.02). The HEART score is a valuable risk-stratification tool in predicting not only short-term MACE but also long-term mortality in patients evaluated for possible ACS in the ED. The HEART score had a superior prognostic value compared with the TIMI score.

Promoting long-term survival of insulin-producing cell grafts that differentiate from adipose tissue-derived stem cells to cure type 1 diabetes.

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Shuzi Zhang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Insulin-producing cell clusters (IPCCs have recently been generated in vitro from adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs to circumvent islet shortage. However, it is unknown how long they can survive upon transplantation, whether they are eventually rejected by recipients, and how their long-term survival can be induced to permanently cure type 1 diabetes. IPCC graft survival is critical for their clinical application and this issue must be systematically addressed prior to their in-depth clinical trials. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we found that IPCC grafts that differentiated from murine ASCs in vitro, unlike their freshly isolated islet counterparts, did not survive long-term in syngeneic mice, suggesting that ASC-derived IPCCs have intrinsic survival disadvantage over freshly isolated islets. Indeed, β cells retrieved from IPCC syngrafts underwent faster apoptosis than their islet counterparts. However, blocking both Fas and TNF receptor death pathways inhibited their apoptosis and restored their long-term survival in syngeneic recipients. Furthermore, blocking CD40-CD154 costimulation and Fas/TNF signaling induced long-term IPCC allograft survival in overwhelming majority of recipients. Importantly, Fas-deficient IPCC allografts exhibited certain immune privilege and enjoyed long-term survival in diabetic NOD mice in the presence of CD28/CD40 joint blockade while their islet counterparts failed to do so. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Long-term survival of ASC-derived IPCC syngeneic grafts requires blocking Fas and TNF death pathways, whereas blocking both death pathways and CD28/CD40 costimulation is needed for long-term IPCC allograft survival in diabetic NOD mice. Our studies have important clinical implications for treating type 1 diabetes via ASC-derived IPCC transplantation.

Prevalence of thiamine deficiency in heart failure patients on long-term diuretic therapy

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Shrenik Doshi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Loop diuretics are an integral part of heart failure management. It has been shown that loop diuretics cause thiamine deficiency (TD by increasing its urinary loss. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of TD in heart failure patients on long-term oral loop diuretics. Methods: Heart failure patients (cases on oral loop diuretics (furosemide ≥40 mg/day or torsemide ≥20 mg/day, irrespective of the cause of heart failure, were compared to non-heart failure patients (controls not on loop diuretics in a 1:1 ratio. Whole blood free thiamine level was determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Results: A total of 100 subjects were enrolled in a 1:1 ratio (50 cases and 50 controls. 67% of the total study population had TD, (defined as whole blood free thiamine level <0.7 ng/ml. There was no difference in mean thiamine level between cases and controls. On comparing patients with TD in both groups, patients on diuretics had significantly lower thiamine level compared to the patients, not on diuretics (P < 0.0001. Conclusions: There was no difference in the thiamine level when patients on loop diuretics were compared to controls. However, very low thiamine levels (<0.1 ng/ml was significantly more common in patients on loop diuretics.

Effects of Acute Cytomegalovirus Infection on Rat Islet Allograft Survival

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smelt, M. J.; Faas, M. M.; Melgert, B. N.; de Vos, P.; de Haan, Bart; de Haan, Aalzen

2011-01-01

Transplantation of pancreatic islets is a promising therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, long-term islet graft survival rates are still unsatisfactory low. In this study we investigated the role of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in islet allograft failure. STZ-diabetic rats

Ischemic heart disease after mantlefield irradiation for Hodgkin's disease in long-term follow-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinders, J.G.; Heijmen, B.J.M.; Olofsen-van Acht, M.J.J.; Putten, W.L.J. van; Levendag, P.C.

1999-01-01

Background and purpose: In patients with Hodgkin's disease treated by radiotherapy with a moderate total dose and a low (mean) fraction dose to the heart, the risk of ischemic heart disease was investigated during long-term follow-up.Materials and methods: The medical records of 258 patients treated in the period 1965-1980 with radiotherapy alone as the primary treatment were reviewed. The median follow-up was 14.2 years (range 0.7-26.2). The mean total dose and fraction dose to the heart were 37.2 Gy (SD 2.9) and 1.64 Gy (SD 0.09), respectively. The impact on the development of ischemic heart disease of treatment-related parameters, such as the applied (fraction) dose, irradiation technique (one or two fields per day), and chemotherapy in case of a relapse, was investigated. The incidence of ischemic heart disease in this patient population was compared with the expected incidence based on gender, age and calendar period-specific data for the Dutch population.Results: Thirty-one patients (12%) experienced ischemic heart disease (actuarial risk at 20-25 years: 21.2% (95% C.I. 15-30). Twenty-five of them were hospitalized. When compared with the expected incidence, the relative risk (RR) of hospital admission for ischemic heart disease was 2.7 (95% C.I. 1.7-4.0). There were 12 deaths (4.7%) due to ischemic myocardial or sudden death (actuarial risk at 25 years: 10.2% (95% C.I. 5.3-19), compared to 2.3 cases that were expected to have died from these causes, yielding a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 5.3 (95% C.I. 2.7-9.3). Gender (male), pretreatment cardiac medical history and increasing age appeared to be the only significant factors for the development of ischemic heart disease.Conclusions: Despite the moderate total dose and the low (mean) fraction dose to the heart, the observed incidence of ischemic heart disease is high, especially after long follow-up periods. Treatment related cardiac disease in patients treated for Hodgkin's disease has only been

Uncemented allograft-prosthetic composite reconstruction of the proximal femur

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Li Min

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Allograft-prosthetic composite can be divided into three groups names cemented, uncemented, and partially cemented. Previous studies have mainly reported outcomes in cemented and partially cemented allograft-prosthetic composites, but have rarely focused on the uncemented allograft-prosthetic composites. The objectives of our study were to describe a surgical technique for using proximal femoral uncemented allograft-prosthetic composite and to present the radiographic and clinical results. Materials and Methods: Twelve patients who underwent uncemented allograft-prosthetic composite reconstruction of the proximal femur after bone tumor resection were retrospectively evaluated at an average followup of 24.0 months. Clinical records and radiographs were evaluated. Results: In our series, union occurred in all the patients (100%; range 5-9 months. Until the most recent followup, there were no cases with infection, nonunion of the greater trochanter, junctional bone resorption, dislocation, allergic reaction, wear of acetabulum socket, recurrence, and metastasis. But there were three periprosthetic fractures which were fixed using cerclage wire during surgery. Five cases had bone resorption in and around the greater trochanter. The average Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS score and Harris hip score (HHS were 26.2 points (range 24-29 points and 80.6 points (range 66.2-92.7 points, respectively. Conclusions: These results showed that uncemented allograft-prosthetic composite could promote bone union through compression at the host-allograft junction and is a good choice for proximal femoral resection. Although this technology has its own merits, long term outcomes are yet not validated.

Cyclosporine inhibits long-term survival in cardiac allografts treated with monoclonal antibody against CD45RB

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Parry, N; Lazarovits, AI; Wang, JJ; Garcia, B; Luke, P; Poppema, S; Zhong, R

Background: We have previously reported that a monoclonal antibody to CD45RB is a novel immunosuppressive agent; however, the optimal regimen in cardiac allografts remains unknown. The present study was undertaken to determine the optimal protocol of this therapy and its interaction with

Optimized total body irradiation for induction of renal allograft tolerance through mixed chimerism in cynomolgus monkeys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimikawa, Masaaki; Kawai, Tatsuo; Ota, Kazuo

1996-01-01

We previously demonstrated that a nonmyeloablative preparative regimen can induce mixed chimerism and renal allograft tolerance between MHC-disparate non-human primates. The basic regimen includes anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG), total body irradiation (TBI, 300 cGy), thymic irradiation (TI, 700 cGy), splenectomy, donor bone marrow (DBM) infusion, and posttransplant cyclosporine therapy (CYA, discontinued after 4 weeks). To evaluate the importance and to minimize the toxicity of irradiation, kidney allografts were transplanted with various manipulations of the irradiation protocol. Monkeys treated with the basic protocol without TBI and TI did not develop chimerism or long-term allograft survival. In monkeys treated with the full protocol, all six monkeys treated with two fractionated dose of 150 cGy developed chimerism and five monkeys appeared tolerant. In contrast, only two of the four monkeys treated with fractionated doses of 125 cGy developed chimerism and only one monkey survived long term. The degree of lymphocyte depletion in all recipients was proportional to the TBI dose. The fractionated TBI regimen of 150 cGy appears to be the most consistently effective regimen for establishing donor bone marrow cell engraftment and allograft tolerance. (author)

Optimized total body irradiation for induction of renal allograft tolerance through mixed chimerism in cynomolgus monkeys

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Kimikawa, Masaaki; Kawai, Tatsuo; Ota, Kazuo [Tokyo Women`s Medical Coll. (Japan)

1996-12-01

We previously demonstrated that a nonmyeloablative preparative regimen can induce mixed chimerism and renal allograft tolerance between MHC-disparate non-human primates. The basic regimen includes anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG), total body irradiation (TBI, 300 cGy), thymic irradiation (TI, 700 cGy), splenectomy, donor bone marrow (DBM) infusion, and posttransplant cyclosporine therapy (CYA, discontinued after 4 weeks). To evaluate the importance and to minimize the toxicity of irradiation, kidney allografts were transplanted with various manipulations of the irradiation protocol. Monkeys treated with the basic protocol without TBI and TI did not develop chimerism or long-term allograft survival. In monkeys treated with the full protocol, all six monkeys treated with two fractionated dose of 150 cGy developed chimerism and five monkeys appeared tolerant. In contrast, only two of the four monkeys treated with fractionated doses of 125 cGy developed chimerism and only one monkey survived long term. The degree of lymphocyte depletion in all recipients was proportional to the TBI dose. The fractionated TBI regimen of 150 cGy appears to be the most consistently effective regimen for establishing donor bone marrow cell engraftment and allograft tolerance. (author)

Low-dose computed tomography volumetry for subtyping chronic lung allograft dysfunction.

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Saito, Tomohito; Horie, Miho; Sato, Masaaki; Nakajima, Daisuke; Shoushtarizadeh, Hassan; Binnie, Matthew; Azad, Sassan; Hwang, David M; Machuca, Tiago N; Waddell, Thomas K; Singer, Lianne G; Cypel, Marcelo; Liu, Mingyao; Paul, Narinder S; Keshavjee, Shaf

2016-01-01

The long-term success of lung transplantation is challenged by the development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) and its distinct subtypes of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) and restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS). However, the current diagnostic criteria for CLAD subtypes rely on total lung capacity (TLC), which is not always measured during routine post-transplant assessment. Our aim was to investigate the utility of low-dose 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) lung volumetry for differentiating RAS from BOS. This study was a retrospective evaluation of 63 patients who had developed CLAD after bilateral lung or heart‒lung transplantation between 2006 and 2011, including 44 BOS and 19 RAS cases. Median post-transplant follow-up was 65 months in BOS and 27 months in RAS. The median interval between baseline and the disease-onset time-point for CT volumetry was 11 months in both BOS and RAS. Chronologic changes and diagnostic accuracy of CT lung volume (measured as percent of baseline) were investigated. RAS showed a significant decrease in CT lung volume at disease onset compared with baseline (mean 3,916 ml vs 3,055 ml when excluding opacities, p volumetry is a useful tool to differentiate patients who develop RAS from those who develop BOS. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-Term Effects and Prognosis in Acute Heart Failure Treated with Tolvaptan: The AVCMA Trial

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Satoshi Suzuki

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Diuresis is a major therapy for the reduction of congestive symptoms in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF patients. We previously reported the efficacy and safety of tolvaptan compared to carperitide in hospitalized patients with ADHF. There were some reports of cardio- and renal-protective effects in carperitide; therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the long-term effects of tolvaptan and carperitide on cardiorenal function and prognosis. Methods and Results. One hundred and five ADHF patients treated with either tolvaptan or carperitide were followed after hospital discharge. Levels of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide, serum sodium, potassium, creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate were measured before administration of tolvaptan or carperitide at baseline, the time of discharge, and one year after discharge. These data between tolvaptan and carperitide groups were not different one year after discharge. Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrated that the event-free rate regarding all events, cardiac events, all cause deaths, and rehospitalization due to worsening heart failure was not significantly different between tolvaptan and carperitide groups. Conclusions. We demonstrated that tolvaptan had similar effects on cardiac and renal function and led to a similar prognosis in the long term, compared to carperitide.

[Neurological and psychomotor development of foetuses and children with congenital heart disease--causes and prevalence of disorders and long-term prognosis].

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Herberg, U; Hövels-Gürich, H

2012-06-01

Children with severe congenital heart defects (CHD) requiring open heart surgery in the first year of life are at high risk for developing neurological and psychomotor abnormalities. Depending on the type and severity of the CHD, between 15 and over 50% of these children have deficits, which are usually confined to distinct domains of development, although formal intelligence tends to be normal. Children with mild CHD, who comprise the majority of congenital heart defects, have a far better developmental prognosis than those with complex CHD. This review concentrates on the impact of severe CHD on the developing brain of the foetus and infant. It also provides a summary of recent clinical and neuroimaging studies, and an overview of the long-term neurological prognosis. Advanced neuroimaging modalities indicate that, related to altered cerebral blood flow and oxygenation, foetuses with severe CHD show delayed third trimester brain maturation and increased vulnerability for hypoxic injury. Morphological and neurological abnormalities are present before surgery, commonly affecting the white matter. In the long-term, impaired neurological and developmental outcomes are related to the combination of prenatal, perinatal and additional perioperative risk factors. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches aim to optimise the intra- and perinatal management of foetuses and newborns with congenital heart defects. Identification and avoidance of risk factors, early neurodevelopmental assessment and therapy may optimise the long-term outcome in this high-risk population. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Kidney Versus Islet Allograft Survival After Induction of Mixed Chimerism With Combined Donor Bone Marrow Transplantation.

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Oura, Tetsu; Ko, Dicken S C; Boskovic, Svjetlan; O'Neil, John J; Chipashvili, Vaja; Koulmanda, Maria; Hotta, Kiyohiko; Kawai, Kento; Nadazdin, Ognjenka; Smith, R Neal; Cosimi, A B; Kawai, Tatsuo

2016-01-01

We have previously reported successful induction of transient mixed chimerism and long-term acceptance of renal allografts in MHC mismatched nonhuman primates. In this study, we attempted to extend this tolerance induction approach to islet allografts. A total of eight recipients underwent MHC mismatched combined islet and bone marrow (BM) transplantation after induction of diabetes by streptozotocin. Three recipients were treated after a nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen that included low-dose total body and thymic irradiation, horse Atgam (ATG), six doses of anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody (mAb), and a 1-month course of cyclosporine (CyA) (Islet A). In Islet B, anti-CD8 mAb was administered in place of CyA. In Islet C, two recipients were treated with Islet B, but without ATG. The results were compared with previously reported results of eight cynomolgus monkeys that received combined kidney and BM transplantation (Kidney A) following the same conditioning regimen used in Islet A. The majority of kidney/BM recipients achieved long-term renal allograft survival after induction of transient chimerism. However, prolonged islet survival was not achieved in similarly conditioned islet/BM recipients (Islet A), despite induction of comparable levels of chimerism. In order to rule out islet allograft loss due to CyA toxicity, three recipients were treated with anti-CD8 mAb in place of CyA. Although these recipients developed significantly superior mixed chimerism and more prolonged islet allograft survival (61, 103, and 113 days), islet function was lost soon after the disappearance of chimerism. In Islet C recipients, neither prolonged chimerism nor islet survival was observed (30 and 40 days). Significant improvement of mixed chimerism induction and islet allograft survival were achieved with a CyA-free regimen that included anti-CD8 mAb. However, unlike the kidney allograft, islet allograft tolerance was not induced with transient chimerism. Induction of more

Clinical phenotypes and outcome of patients hospitalized for acute heart failure: the ESC Heart Failure Long-Term Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Chioncel, Ovidiu; Mebazaa, Alexandre; Harjola, Veli-Pekka; Coats, Andrew J; Piepoli, Massimo Francesco; Crespo-Leiro, Maria G; Laroche, Cecile; Seferovic, Petar M; Anker, Stefan D; Ferrari, Roberto; Ruschitzka, Frank; Lopez-Fernandez, Silvia; Miani, Daniela; Filippatos, Gerasimos; Maggioni, Aldo P

2017-10-01

To identify differences in clinical epidemiology, in-hospital management and 1-year outcomes among patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF) and enrolled in the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Long-Term (ESC-HF-LT) Registry, stratified by clinical profile at admission. The ESC-HF-LT Registry is a prospective, observational study collecting hospitalization and 1-year follow-up data from 6629 AHF patients. Among AHF patients enrolled in the registry, 13.2% presented with pulmonary oedema (PO), 2.9% with cardiogenic shock (CS), 61.1% with decompensated heart failure (DHF), 4.8% with hypertensive heart failure (HT-HF), 3.5% with right heart failure (RHF) and 14.4% with AHF and associated acute coronary syndromes (ACS-HF). The 1-year mortality rate was 28.1% in PO, 54.0% in CS, 27.2% in DHF, 12.8% in HT-HF, 34.0% in RHF and 20.6% in ACS-HF patients. When patients were classified by systolic blood pressure (SBP) at initial presentation, 1-year mortality was 34.8% in patients with SBP 140 mmHg. These differences tended to diminish in the months post-discharge, and 1-year mortality for the patients who survived at least 6 months post-discharge did not vary significantly by either clinical profile or SBP classification. Rates of adverse outcomes in AHF remain high, and substantial differences have been found when patients were stratified by clinical profile or SBP. However, patients who survived at least 6 months post-discharge represent a more homogeneous group and their 1-year outcome is less influenced by clinical profile or SBP at admission. © 2017 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure © 2017 European Society of Cardiology.

Cardiac allograft immune activation: current perspectives

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Chang D

2014-12-01

Full Text Available David Chang, Jon Kobashigawa Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA Abstract: Heart transplant remains the most durable option for end-stage heart disease. Cardiac allograft immune activation and heart transplant rejection remain among the main complications limiting graft and recipient survival. Mediators of the immune system can cause different forms of rejection post-heart transplant. Types of heart transplant rejection include hyperacute rejection, cellular rejection, antibody-mediated rejection, and chronic rejection. In this review, we will summarize the innate and adaptive immune responses which influence the post-heart transplant recipient. Different forms of rejection and their clinical presentation, detection, and immune monitoring will be discussed. Treatment of heart transplant rejection will be examined. We will discuss potential treatment strategies for preventing rejection post-transplant in immunologically high-risk patients with antibody sensitization. Keywords: heart transplant, innate immunity, adaptive immunity, rejection, immunosuppression

Global Transcriptomic Profiling of Cardiac Hypertrophy and Fatty Heart Induced by Long-Term High-Energy Diet in Bama Miniature Pigs.

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Jihan Xia

Full Text Available A long-term high-energy diet affects human health and leads to obesity and metabolic syndrome in addition to cardiac steatosis and hypertrophy. Ectopic fat accumulation in the heart has been demonstrated to be a risk factor for heart disorders, but the molecular mechanism of heart disease remains largely unknown. Bama miniature pigs were fed a high-fat, high-sucrose diet (HFHSD for 23 months. These pigs developed symptoms of metabolic syndrome and showed cardiac steatosis and hypertrophy with a greatly increased body weight (2.73-fold, P<0.01, insulin level (4.60-fold, P<0.01, heart weight (1.82-fold, P<0.05 and heart volume (1.60-fold, P<0.05 compared with the control pigs. To understand the molecular mechanisms of cardiac steatosis and hypertrophy, nine pig heart cRNA samples were hybridized to porcine GeneChips. Microarray analyses revealed that 1,022 genes were significantly differentially expressed (P<0.05, ≥1.5-fold change, including 591 up-regulated and 431 down-regulated genes in the HFHSD group relative to the control group. KEGG analysis indicated that the observed heart disorder involved the signal transduction-related MAPK, cytokine, and PPAR signaling pathways, energy metabolism-related fatty acid and oxidative phosphorylation signaling pathways, heart function signaling-related focal adhesion, axon guidance, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and actin cytoskeleton signaling pathways, inflammation and apoptosis pathways, and others. Quantitative RT-PCR assays identified several important differentially expressed heart-related genes, including STAT3, ACSL4, ATF4, FADD, PPP3CA, CD74, SLA-8, VCL, ACTN2 and FGFR1, which may be targets of further research. This study shows that a long-term, high-energy diet induces obesity, cardiac steatosis, and hypertrophy and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of hypertrophy and fatty heart to facilitate further research.

Editorial Commentary: The Acellular Osteochondral Allograft, the Emperor Has New Clothes.

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Mandelbaum, Bert R; Chahla, Jorge

2017-12-01

For larger lesions (>2.5-cm 2 ), clinical evidence and practice have shown that fresh osteochondral allograft have good durability, with 88% return to sport and greater than 75% 10-year survival rates for treatment of large femoral condyle lesions. That said, the use of fresh osteochondral allografts in clinical practice is limited by the availability of acceptable donor tissues for eligible patients in a timely fashion. Significant diminution of chondrocyte viability and density occurs during the preservation and storage period. All osteochondral allografts are not equal in performance and outcome. Chondrocyte density and viability are critical for successful transplantation and outcome in the short and long term. This commentary highlights the high failure rates of tissue when it is acellular. Copyright © 2017 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of long-term prognosis in patients with heart failure. Is cardiac imaging with iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine useful?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narita, Michihiro; Kurihara, Tadashi

1998-01-01

The effect of cardiac sympathetic activity on long-term prognosis in patients with heart failure was evaluated by cardiac imaging with 123 I-MIBG in 46 patients admitted for the first episode of heart failure. Cardiac imaging was performed with 123 I-MIBG and 201 Tl at rest on separate days before discharge. Using whole body imaging, the ratio of cardiac uptake of the isotope to total injected dose was calculated (percentage uptake). The cardiac uptake ratio of 123 I-MIBG (percentage uptake of 123 I-MIBG divided by percentage uptake of 201 Tl) and percentage washout of 123 I-MIBG from the heart over 3 hours were calculated as scintigraphic parameters. Cardiac events were defined as cardiac death or deterioration of heart failure requiring readmission. Scintigraphic parameters, clinical parameters, left ventricular function obtained by echocardiography and neurohumoral parameters were compared between the event group and event-free group. During the follow-up period, cardiac events developed in 14 patients (30%). Univariate analysis showed uptake ratio and washout rate of 123 I-MIBG, percentage uptake of 201 Tl, New York Heart Association class at discharge, fractional shortening of the left ventricle, serum norepinephrine and atrial natriuretic peptide levels differed significantly between the two groups. Cox proportional-hazard analysis showed that the uptake ratio was an independent predictor of cardiac events. When a cut-off point in the uptake ratio equal to or less than 0.50 and age equal to or more than 65 years old were included in the Cox proportional-hazard analysis instead of actual numbers, relative risks of cardiac events by each index were 31.2 and 4.2, respectively. These data suggest that cardiac uptake of 123 I-MIBG is a strong and independent predictor of long-term prognosis in patients with heart failure. (K.H.)

Evaluation of long-term prognosis in patients with heart failure. Is cardiac imaging with iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine useful?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Narita, Michihiro; Kurihara, Tadashi [Sumitomo Hospital, Osaka (Japan)

1998-06-01

The effect of cardiac sympathetic activity on long-term prognosis in patients with heart failure was evaluated by cardiac imaging with {sup 123}I-MIBG in 46 patients admitted for the first episode of heart failure. Cardiac imaging was performed with {sup 123}I-MIBG and {sup 201}Tl at rest on separate days before discharge. Using whole body imaging, the ratio of cardiac uptake of the isotope to total injected dose was calculated (percentage uptake). The cardiac uptake ratio of {sup 123}I-MIBG (percentage uptake of {sup 123}I-MIBG divided by percentage uptake of {sup 201}Tl) and percentage washout of {sup 123}I-MIBG from the heart over 3 hours were calculated as scintigraphic parameters. Cardiac events were defined as cardiac death or deterioration of heart failure requiring readmission. Scintigraphic parameters, clinical parameters, left ventricular function obtained by echocardiography and neurohumoral parameters were compared between the event group and event-free group. During the follow-up period, cardiac events developed in 14 patients (30%). Univariate analysis showed uptake ratio and washout rate of {sup 123}I-MIBG, percentage uptake of {sup 201}Tl, New York Heart Association class at discharge, fractional shortening of the left ventricle, serum norepinephrine and atrial natriuretic peptide levels differed significantly between the two groups. Cox proportional-hazard analysis showed that the uptake ratio was an independent predictor of cardiac events. When a cut-off point in the uptake ratio equal to or less than 0.50 and age equal to or more than 65 years old were included in the Cox proportional-hazard analysis instead of actual numbers, relative risks of cardiac events by each index were 31.2 and 4.2, respectively. These data suggest that cardiac uptake of {sup 123}I-MIBG is a strong and independent predictor of long-term prognosis in patients with heart failure. (K.H.)

Albuminuria, Proteinuria, and Novel Urine Biomarkers as Predictors of Long-term Allograft Outcomes in Kidney Transplant Recipients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nauta, Ferdau L.; Bakker, Stephan J. L.; van Oeveren, Wim; Navis, Gerjan; van der Heide, Jaap J. Homan; van Goor, Harry; de Jong, Paul E.; Gansevoort, Ron T.

Background: Proteinuria is an established marker of decreased kidney function after kidney transplant. It recently has been suggested that albuminuria might be a more reliable marker. Although albuminuria often is regarded as a marker of glomerular damage, because chronic renal allograft damage is

Pretransplant portal venous administration of donor antigen and portal venous allograft drainage synergistically prolong rat cardiac allograft survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamei, T.; Callery, M.P.; Flye, M.W.

1990-01-01

The effect of antigen given through the portal vein (PV) before transplantation or continuous drainage of a graft into the PV results in moderate prolongation of allograft survival. This study examines these treatment modalities further. Pretransplant donor antigen as 25 x 10(6) ultraviolet B-irradiated (12,000 joules/m2) donor spleen cells was given 7 days before heart transplantation through either the PV or systemic venous (IV) routes. On day 0, Lewis-to-Buffalo rat cardiac allografts were drained either into the PV or IV. Pretransplant PV donor antigen administration (p less than 0.005), but not by IV administration, significantly prolonged cardiac allograft survival across the strong RT 1 rat histoincompatibility barrier. Similarly PV, but not IV, drainage of the graft prolonged graft survival (p less than 0.005). Pretransplant IV antigen administration had no additive effect on PV drainage graft survival. In contrast, when pretransplant PV donor antigen was combined with PV drainage, 11 of 14 allografts (p less than 0.001) continued to function, free of rejection, after 150 days. Therefore for rat cardiac transplants a clearly synergistic graft-prolonging effect results when pretransplant PV donor antigen is combined with PV drainage of the allografts. These data clarify the potent tolerogenic effects of alloantigen not only administered into the PV but also continuously shed intraportally so that it is first processed by the liver

Assessment of nerve regeneration across nerve allografts treated with tacrolimus.

Science.gov (United States)

Haisheng, Han; Songjie, Zuo; Xin, Li

2008-01-01

Although regeneration of nerve allotransplant is a major concern in the clinic, there have been few papers quantitatively assessing functional recovery of animals' nerve allografts in the long term. In this study, functional recovery, histopathological study, and immunohistochemistry changes of rat nerve allograft with FK506 were investigated up to 12 weeks without slaughtering. C57 and SD rats were used for transplantation. The donor's nerve was sliced and transplanted into the recipient. The sciatic nerve was epineurally sutured with 10-0 nylon. In total, 30 models of transplantation were performed and divided into 3 groups that were either treated with FK506 or not. Functional recovery of the grafted nerve was serially assessed by the pin click test, walking track analysis and electrophysiological evaluations. A histopathological study and immunohistochemistry study were done in the all of the models. Nerve allografts treated with FK506 have no immune rejection through 12 weeks. Sensibility had similarly improved in both isografts and allografts. There has been no difference in each graft. Walk track analysis demonstrates significant recovery of motor function of the nerve graft. No histological results of difference were found up to 12 weeks in each graft. In the rodent nerve graft model, FK506 prevented nerve allograft rejection across a major histocompatibility barrier. Sensory recovery seems to be superior to motor function. Nerve isograft and allograft treated with FK506 have no significant difference in function recovery, histopathological result, and immunohistochemistry changes.

UVB pretreatment of rat bone marrow allografts. Prevention of GVHD and induction of allochimerism and donor-specific unresponsiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chabot, J.A.; Pepino, P.; Wasfie, T.; Stegall, M.D.; Marboe, C.; Hardy, M.A.

1990-01-01

Ultraviolet B irradiation has been used to pretreat blood and islets to prevent subsequent graft rejection. In this study the optimal dose of UVB irradiation of bone marrow was determined in syngeneic recipients and was subsequently applied to in-vitro treatment of bone marrow allografts. UVB pretreatment of donor bone marrow inoculum led to complete prevention of GVHD in allogeneic rat recipients without major marrow or other toxicity. Long-standing recipients of allogeneic UVB-BM became stable adult chimeras. The recipients of allogeneic BM were populated by donor-type peripheral blood lymphocytes and did not reject host or donor-type heart grafts. The BM allograft recipients were immunocompetent as measured by their ability to normally reject third-party cardiac allografts. We suggest that the prevention of GVHD and induction of stable chimerism in adult recipients of allogeneic UVB-BM may be mediated by suppressor mechanisms

UVB pretreatment of rat bone marrow allografts. Prevention of GVHD and induction of allochimerism and donor-specific unresponsiveness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chabot, J.A.; Pepino, P.; Wasfie, T.; Stegall, M.D.; Marboe, C.; Hardy, M.A. (Columbia Univ. College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY (USA))

1990-05-01

Ultraviolet B irradiation has been used to pretreat blood and islets to prevent subsequent graft rejection. In this study the optimal dose of UVB irradiation of bone marrow was determined in syngeneic recipients and was subsequently applied to in-vitro treatment of bone marrow allografts. UVB pretreatment of donor bone marrow inoculum led to complete prevention of GVHD in allogeneic rat recipients without major marrow or other toxicity. Long-standing recipients of allogeneic UVB-BM became stable adult chimeras. The recipients of allogeneic BM were populated by donor-type peripheral blood lymphocytes and did not reject host or donor-type heart grafts. The BM allograft recipients were immunocompetent as measured by their ability to normally reject third-party cardiac allografts. We suggest that the prevention of GVHD and induction of stable chimerism in adult recipients of allogeneic UVB-BM may be mediated by suppressor mechanisms.

Diagnosis of cardiac allograft rejection with indium-111 labeled platelets in cyclosporin treated rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fawwaz, R.A.; Iga, C.; Hardy, M.A.; Alderson, P.O.

1984-01-01

Rejection of heart transplants remains difficult to diagnose. Indium-111 (In-111) labeled lymphocytes accumulate in rat cardiac allografts when recipients are treated with Cyclosporin (Cy), even in the absence of clinical rejection. This presumably occurs because of the non-specific 'interstitial infiltration' caused by Cy. This study examines the usefulness of In-111 labeled platelets in differentiating experimental cardiac allograft rejection from Cy-induced tissue changes. The authors initially examined the migration patterns of syngeneic In-111 labeled platelets in groups of Lewis recipients of ACI cardiac allografts treated with IM Cy (10mg/kg) for 6-14 days. In addition, 10 control animals were not immunosuppressed, and 10 were treated with Cy but received Lewis cardiac isografts. Syngeneic In-111 platelets were injected IV into each animal 24 hours prior to sacrifice. Three to five rats from each group were killed at 3 ,7, 14, 21 and 28 days after transplantation and the % ID/gm in the transplanted hearts and native hearts were determined and correlated with histopathology. Untreated Lewis recipients rejected ACI hearts in 6.5 +- 0.4 days while Cy prolonged allograft survival in a variable fashion. In-111 platelet accumulation correlated well with the degree of rejection determined independently by histopathology. No significant In-111 platelet accumulation was detected in non-rejecting cardiac transplants or in native hearts in Cy treated or control animals. The results suggest that In-111 labeled platelets will be an effective agent for diagnosis of cardiac rejection, even in the presence of Cy treatment

Involvement of dendritic cells in allograft rejection new implications of dendritic cell-endothelial cell interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlichting, C L; Schareck, W D; Kofler, S; Weis, M

2007-04-01

For almost half a century immunologists have tried to tear down the MHC barrier, which separates two unrelated individuals during transplantation. Latest experimental data suggest that a breakthrough in vitro is imminent. Dendritic cells (DCs), which activate naïve allo-reactive T-cells (TCs), play a central role in the establishment of allo-antigen-specific immunity. Allograft solid organ rejection is initiated at the foreign endothelial cell (EC) layer, which forms an immunogenic barrier for migrating DCs. Thus, DC/EC interactions might play a crucial role in antigen-specific allograft rejection. Organ rejection is mediated by host allo-reactive TCs, which are activated by donor DCs (direct activation) or host DCs (indirect activation). Direct allo-antigen presentation by regulatory dendritic cells (DCreg) can play an instructive role towards tolerance induction. Several groups established that, DCregs, if transplanted beforehand, enter host thymus, spleen, or bone marrow where they might eventually establish allo-antigen-specific tolerance. A fundamental aspect of DC function is migration throughout the entire organism. After solid organ transplantation, host DCs bind to ECs, invade allograft tissues, and finally transmigrate into lymphoid vessels and secondary lymphoid organs, where they present allo-antigens to naïve host TCs. Recent data suggest that in vitro manipulated DCregs may mediate allo-transplantation tolerance induction. However, the fundamental mechanisms on how such DCregs cause host TCs in the periphery towards tolerance remain unclear. One very promising experimental concept is the simultaneous manipulation of DC direct and indirect TC activation/suppression, towards donor antigen-specific allo-transplantation tolerance. The allo-antigen-specific long-term tolerance induction mediated by DCreg pre-transplantation (with simultaneous short-term immunosuppression) has become reproducible in the laboratory animal setting. Despite the shortcomings

Role of Magnetic Resonance Elastography as a Noninvasive Measurement Tool of Fibrosis in a Renal Allograft: A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, J K; Yuen, D A; Leung, G; Jothy, S; Zaltzman, J; Ramesh Prasad, G V; Prabhudesai, V; Mnatzakanian, G; Kirpalani, A

2017-09-01

A major reason for poor long-term kidney transplant outcomes is the development of chronic allograft injury, characterized by interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy. Currently, an invasive biopsy that samples only tool of allograft fibrosis in a kidney transplant patient at 2 time points. The MRE whole-kidney stiffness values reflected the changes in fibrosis of the kidney allograft as assessed by histologic examination. To our knowledge, this technique is the first observation of change over time in MRE-derived whole-kidney stiffness in an allograft that is consistent with changes in histology-derived fibrosis scores in a single patient. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Combined Impact of Postoperative Heart Failure and EuroSCORE on Long-Term Outcome after Surgery for Aortic Stenosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hultkvist, Henrik; Vanky, Farkas; Svedjeholm, Rolf

2011-01-01

Background and aim of the study: Although the EuroSCORE was developed for predicting operative mortality after cardiac surgery, it has also been shown to predict long-term mortality. It has been reported that postoperative heart failure (PHF) in association with surgery, albeit comparatively benign

Albuminuria, proteinuria, and novel urine biomarkers as predictors of long-term allograft outcomes in kidney transplant recipients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nauta, Ferdau L.; Bakker, Stephan J. L.; van Oeveren, Wim; Navis, Gerjan; Homan van der Heide, Jaap J.; van Goor, Harry; de Jong, Paul E.; Gansevoort, Ron T.

2011-01-01

Proteinuria is an established marker of decreased kidney function after kidney transplant. It recently has been suggested that albuminuria might be a more reliable marker. Although albuminuria often is regarded as a marker of glomerular damage, because chronic renal allograft damage is believed to

Biodistribution of an anti-interleukin 2 receptor monoclonal antibody in rat recipients of a heart allograft, and its use as a rejection marker in gamma scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thedrez, P.; Paineau, J.; Jacques, Y.; Chatal, J.F.; Pelegrin, A.; Bouchaud, C.; Soulillou, J.P.

1989-01-01

Anti-interleukin-2 receptor monoclonal antibodies have been shown to prevent allograft rejection. This paper reports on the biodistribution of a mouse MoAb directed at the 55 Kd alpha chain of rat interleukin-2 receptor (IL2-R) during allograft rejection. Only a low percentage (approximately 1%) of intact 125I-labeled MoAb was detected in the rejected graft, and irrelevant control IgG1 was found at a similar level. This suggests that most of the injected intact MoAb bound to graft tissue via its monomorphic Fc segment. In contrast, OX39 F(ab')2 fragments showed a preferential localization in the rejected allograft and did not bind to the LEW-to-LEW syngeneic heart graft. Irrelevant F(ab')2 did not concentrate in the allogeneic graft. Accordingly, F(ab')2 fragments from OX39 or irrelevant MoAb were used for gamma-scintigraphy on allograft recipients together with biodistribution studies. Results show that scintigraphy was able to detect allograft accumulation of 131I OX39 F(ab')2, whereas no imaging was obtained when OX39 F(ab')2 was used in the syngeneic combination or when irrelevant 131-IgG1 F(ab')2 was given to allograft recipients. This method, applied to the clinical situation, could be of interest for detection of early graft rejection episodes by immunoscintigraphy using reagents specific for activation determinants on lymphocyte membranes, such as anti-interleukin-2 receptor MoAb

Defining kidney allograft benefit from successful pancreas transplant: separating fact from fiction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiseman, Alexander C; Stites, Erik; Kennealey, Peter

2018-06-06

To define the natural history of kidney allograft loss related to recurrent diabetes following transplant, and to understand the potential benefit of pancreas transplantation upon kidney allograft survival. A postulated benefit of simultaneous pancreas kidney transplant is that, unlike kidney transplant alone, euglycemia from the added pancreas allograft may confer a nephroprotective benefit and prevent recurrent diabetic nephropathy in the renal allograft. Recent large database analyses and long-term histological assessments have been published that assist in quantifying the problem of recurrent diabetic nephropathy and answering the question of the potential benefits of euglycemia. Further data may be extrapolated from larger single-center series that follow the prognosis of early posttransplant diabetes mellitus as another barometer of risk from diabetic nephropathy and graft loss. Recurrent diabetic nephropathy following kidney transplant is a relatively rare, late occurrence and its clinical significance is significantly diminished by the competing risks of death and chronic alloimmune injury. Although there are hints of a protective effect upon kidney graft survival with pancreas transplant, these improvements are small and may take decades to appreciate. Clinical decision-making regarding pancreas transplant solely based upon nephroprotective effects of the kidney allograft should be avoided.

Increased circulating follicular helper T cells with decreased programmed death-1 in chronic renal allograft rejection

OpenAIRE

Shi, Jian; Luo, Fengbao; Shi, Qianqian; Xu, Xianlin; He, Xiaozhou; Xia, Ying

2015-01-01

Background Chronic antibody-mediated rejection is a major issue that affects long-term renal allograft survival. Since follicular helper T (Tfh) cells promote the development of antigen-specific B cells in alloimmune responses, we investigated the potential roles of Tfh cells, B cells and their alloimmune-regulating molecules in the pathogenesis of chronic renal allograft rejection in this study. Methods The frequency of Tfh, B cells and the levels of their alloimmune-regulating molecules inc...

Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Brain-Dead Donors as Predictors of Early- and Long-Term Renal Function After Transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwiatkowska, Ewa; Domański, Leszek; Bober, Joanna; Safranow, Krzysztof; Pawlik, Andrzej; Ciechanowski, Kazimierz; Wiśniewska, Magda; Kędzierska, Karolina

2017-08-01

Organs from brain-dead donors are the main source of allografts for transplant. Comparisons between living-donor and brain-dead donor kidneys show that the latter are more likely to demonstrate delayed graft function and lower long-term survival. This study aimed to assess the effects of various clinical and biochemical factors of donors on early- and long-term renal function after transplant. We analyzed data from kidney recipients treated between 2006 and 2008 who received organs from brain-dead donors. Data from 54 donors and 89 recipients were analyzed. No relation was observed between donor sodium concentration and the presence of delayed graft function. Donor height was positively correlated with creatinine clearance in recipients in the 1 to 3 months after renal transplant. Donor diastolic blood pressure was negatively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate throughout the observation period. Donor age was negatively correlated with the allograft recipient's estimated glomerular filtration rate throughout 4 years of observation. Donor estimated glomerular filtration rate was positively correlated with that of the recipient throughout 3 years of observation. The results of this study indicate that various factors associated with allograft donors may influence graft function.

Identification of a peripheral blood transcriptional biomarker panel associated with operational renal allograft tolerance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouard, Sophie; Mansfield, Elaine; Braud, Christophe; Li, Li; Giral, Magali; Hsieh, Szu-Chuan; Baeten, Dominique; Zhang, Meixia; Ashton-Chess, Joanna; Braudeau, Cecile; Hsieh, Frank; Dupont, Alexandre; Pallier, Annaik; Moreau, Anne; Louis, Stephanie; Ruiz, Catherine; Salvatierra, Oscar; Soulillou, Jean-Paul; Sarwal, Minnie

2007-01-01

Long-term allograft survival generally requires lifelong immunosuppression (IS). Rarely, recipients display spontaneous "operational tolerance" with stable graft function in the absence of IS. The lack of biological markers of this phenomenon precludes identification of potentially tolerant patients

Interplay between immune responses to HLA and non-HLA self-antigens in allograft rejection.

Science.gov (United States)

Angaswamy, Nataraju; Tiriveedhi, Venkataswarup; Sarma, Nayan J; Subramanian, Vijay; Klein, Christina; Wellen, Jason; Shenoy, Surendra; Chapman, William C; Mohanakumar, T

2013-11-01

Recent studies strongly suggest an increasing role for immune responses against self-antigens (Ags) which are not encoded by the major histocompatibility complex in the immunopathogenesis of allograft rejection. Although, improved surgical techniques coupled with improved methods to detect and avoid sensitization against donor human leukocyte antigen (HLA) have improved the immediate and short term function of transplanted organs. However, acute and chronic rejection still remains a vexing problem for the long term function of the transplanted organ. Immediately following organ transplantation, several factors both immune and non immune mechanisms lead to the development of local inflammatory milieu which sets the stage for allograft rejection. Traditionally, development of antibodies (Abs) against mismatched donor HLA have been implicated in the development of Ab mediated rejection. However, recent studies from our laboratory and others have demonstrated that development of humoral and cellular immune responses against non-HLA self-Ags may contribute in the pathogenesis of allograft rejection. There are reports demonstrating that immune responses to self-Ags especially Abs to the self-Ags as well as cellular immune responses especially through IL17 has significant pro-fibrotic properties leading to chronic allograft failure. This review summarizes recent studies demonstrating the role for immune responses to self-Ags in allograft immunity leading to rejection as well as present recent evidence suggesting there is interplay between allo- and autoimmunity leading to allograft dysfunction. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Left versus right deceased donor renal allograft outcome.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Phelan, Paul J

2009-12-01

It has been suggested that the left kidney is easier to transplant than the right kidney because of the longer length of the left renal vein, facilitating the formation of the venous anastomosis. There are conflicting reports of differing renal allograft outcomes based on the side of donor kidney transplanted (left or right).We sought to determine the effect of side of donor kidney on early and late allograft outcome in our renal transplant population. We performed a retrospective analysis of transplanted left-right deceased donor kidney pairs in Ireland between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2008. We used a time to death-censored graft failure approach for long-term allograft survival and also examined serum creatinine at different time points post-transplantation. All outcomes were included from day of transplant onwards. A total of 646 transplants were performed from 323 donors. The incidence of delayed graft function was 16.1% in both groups and there was no significant difference in acute rejection episodes or serum creatinine from 1 month to 8 years post-transplantation.There were 47 death-censored allograft failures in the left-sided group compared to 57 in the right-sided group (P = 0.24). These observations show no difference in renal transplant outcome between the recipients of left- and right-sided deceased donor kidneys.

Long-term survival of skin allografts in mice treated with fractionated total lymphoid irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slavin, S.; Strober, S.; Fuks, Z.; Kaplan, H.S.

1976-01-01

Treatment of recipient Balb/c mice with fractionated, high-dose total lymphoid irradiation, a procedure commonly used in the therapy of human malignant lymphomas, resulted in fivefold prolongation of the survival of C57BL/Ka skin allografts despite major histocompatibility differences between the strains (H-2/sup d/ and H-2/sup b/, respectively). Infusion of 10 7 (C57BL/Ka x Balb/c)F 1 bone marrow cells after total lymphoid irradiation further prolonged C57BL/Ka skin graft survival to more than 120 days. Total lymphoid irradiation may eventually prove useful in clinical organ transplantation

Cost effectiveness of meniscal allograft for torn discoid lateral meniscus in young women.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramme, Austin J; Strauss, Eric J; Jazrawi, Laith; Gold, Heather T

2016-09-01

A discoid meniscus is more prone to tears than a normal meniscus. Patients with a torn discoid lateral meniscus are at increased risk for early onset osteoarthritis requiring total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Optimal management for this condition is controversial given the up-front cost difference between the two treatment options: the more expensive meniscal allograft transplantation compared with standard partial meniscectomy. We hypothesize that meniscal allograft transplantation following excision of a torn discoid lateral meniscus is more cost-effective compared with partial meniscectomy alone because allografts will extend the time to TKA. A decision analytic Markov model was created to compare the cost effectiveness of two treatments for symptomatic, torn discoid lateral meniscus: meniscal allograft and partial meniscectomy. Probability estimates and event rates were derived from the scientific literature, and costs and benefits were discounted by 3%. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed to test model robustness. Over 25 years, the partial meniscectomy strategy cost $10,430, whereas meniscal allograft cost on average $4040 more, at $14,470. Partial meniscectomy postponed TKA an average of 12.5 years, compared with 17.30 years for meniscal allograft, an increase of 4.8 years. Allograft cost $842 per-year-gained in time to TKA. Meniscal allografts have been shown to reduce pain and improve function in patients with discoid lateral meniscus tears. Though more costly, meniscal allografts may be more effective than partial meniscectomy in delaying TKA in this model. Additional future long term clinical studies will provide more insight into optimal surgical options.

Intramyocardial bone marrow mononuclear cell transplantation in ischemic heart failure: Long-term follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehtinen, Miia; Pätilä, Tommi; Kankuri, Esko; Lauerma, Kirsi; Sinisalo, Juha; Laine, Mika; Kupari, Markku; Vento, Antti; Harjula, Ari

2015-07-01

Long-term results regarding treatment of chronic ischemic heart failure with bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) have been few. We received encouraging results at the 1-year follow-up of patients treated with combined coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and BMMCs, so we decided to extend the follow-up. The study patients had received injections of BMMCs or vehicle into the myocardial infarction border area during CABG in a randomized and double-blind manner. We could contact 36 of the 39 patients recruited for the original study. Pre-operatively and after an extended follow-up period, we performed magnetic resonance imaging, measured pro-B-type amino-terminal natriuretic peptide, reviewed patient records from the follow-up period, and determined current quality of life with the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey. The median follow-up time was 60.7 months (interquartile range [IQR], 45.1-72.6 months). No statistically significant difference was detected in change of pro-B-type amino-terminal natriuretic peptide values or in quality of life between groups. The median change in left ventricular ejection fraction was 4.9% (IQR, -2.1% to 12.3%) for controls and 3.9% (IQR, -5.2% to 10.2%) for the BMMC group (p = 0.647). Wall thickening in injected segments increased by a median of 17% (IQR, -5% to 30%) for controls and 15% (IQR, -12% to 19%) for BMMC patients (p = 0.434). Scar size in injected segments increased by a median of 2% (IQR, -7% to 19%) for controls but diminished for BMMC patients, with a median change of -17% (IQR, -30% to -6%; p = 0.011). In the treatment of chronic ischemic heart failure, combining intramyocardial BMMC therapy with CABG fails to affect cardiac function but can sustainably reduce scar size, even in the long-term. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of aspirin and statins on long-term survival in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction complicated by heart failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lewinter, Christian; Bland, John M; Crouch, Simon

2014-01-01

AIMS: Aspirin and statins are established therapies for acute myocardial infarction (MI), but their benefits in patients with chronic heart failure (HF) remain elusive. We investigated the impact of aspirin and statins on long-term survival in patients hospitalized with acute MI complicated by HF...

Prolongation of segmental and pancreaticoduodenal allografts in the primate with total-lymphoid irradiation and cyclosporine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du Toit, D.F.; Heydenrych, J.J.; Smit, B.; Louw, G.; Zuurmond, T.; Els, D.; Du Toit, L.B.; Weideman, A.; Davids, H.; van der Merwe, E.

1987-09-01

The prolongation of segmental and pancreaticoduodenal allografts (PDA) by total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) and in combination with cyclosporine (CsA) was assessed in a well established total pancreatectomy, diabetic, primate transplantation model. Pancreatic transplantation was performed in 119 pancreatectomized baboons (Papio ursinus). Of a total of 109 allografts performed, 71 were segmental allografts (open duct drainage) and 38 PDA. Of 119 graft recipients, 10 received segmental pancreatic autografts. TLI and CsA administered separately to segmental allograft recipients resulted in modest allograft survival and indefinite graft survival was not observed. 8 of 17 (47%) segmental allograft recipients that received TLI and CsA had graft survival beyond 100 days, indicating highly significant pancreatic allograft survival. All long-term segmental allograft recipients were rendered normoglycemic (plasma glucose less than 8 mmol/L) by this immunosuppressive regimen. In contrast, poor results were observed in PDA recipients treated with TLI and CsA. Mean survival in 18 treated PDA recipients was 23.8 days, 8 survived longer than 20 days (44.4%), and 1 greater than 100 days (5.5%). Despite treatment, early rejection of the duodenum in PDA recipients frequently resulted in necrosis and perforation and contributed to a high morbidity and mortality. This study indicates that, in contrast to the significant prolongation of segmental allografts by TLI and CsA, poor immunosuppression was achieved by this regimen in PDA recipients and was associated with a high morbidity and mortality caused by early rejection of the duodenum.

Prolongation of segmental and pancreaticoduodenal allografts in the primate with total-lymphoid irradiation and cyclosporine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Toit, D.F.; Heydenrych, J.J.; Smit, B.

1987-01-01

The prolongation of segmental and pancreaticoduodenal allografts (PDA) by total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) and in combination with cyclosporine (CsA) was assessed in a well established total pancreatectomy, diabetic, primate transplantation model. Pancreatic transplantation was performed in 119 pancreatectomized baboons (Papio ursinus). Of a total of 109 allografts performed, 71 were segmental allografts (open duct drainage) and 38 PDA. Of 119 graft recipients, 10 received segmental pancreatic autografts. TLI and CsA administered separately to segmental allograft recipients resulted in modest allograft survival and indefinite graft survival was not observed. 8 of 17 (47%) segmental allograft recipients that received TLI and CsA had graft survival beyond 100 days, indicating highly significant pancreatic allograft survival. All long-term segmental allograft recipients were rendered normoglycemic (plasma glucose less than 8 mmol/L) by this immunosuppressive regimen. In contrast, poor results were observed in PDA recipients treated with TLI and CsA. Mean survival in 18 treated PDA recipients was 23.8 days, 8 survived longer than 20 days (44.4%), and 1 greater than 100 days (5.5%). Despite treatment, early rejection of the duodenum in PDA recipients frequently resulted in necrosis and perforation and contributed to a high morbidity and mortality. This study indicates that, in contrast to the significant prolongation of segmental allografts by TLI and CsA, poor immunosuppression was achieved by this regimen in PDA recipients and was associated with a high morbidity and mortality caused by early rejection of the duodenum

Beta-blockers influence the short-term and long-term prognostic information of natriuretic peptides and catecholamines in chronic heart failure independent from specific agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Frankenstein, Lutz; Nelles, Manfred; Slavutsky, Maxim; Schellberg, Dieter; Doesch, Andreas; Katus, Hugo; Remppis, Andrew; Zugck, Christian

2007-10-01

In chronic heart failure (CHF), the physiologic effects of natriuretic peptides and catecholamines are interdependent. Furthermore, reports state an agent-dependent effect of individual beta-blockers on biomarkers. Data on the short-term and long-term predictive power comparing these biomarkers as well as accounting for the influence of beta-blocker treatment both on the marker or the resultant prognostic information are scarce. We included 513 consecutive patients with systolic CHF, measured atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), noradrenaline, and adrenaline, and monitored them for 90 +/- 25 months. Death or the combination of death and cardiac transplantation at 1 year, 5 years, and overall follow-up were considered end points. Compared with patients not taking beta-blockers, patients taking beta-blockers had significantly lower levels of catecholamines but not natriuretic peptides. Only for adrenaline was the amount of this effect related to the specific beta-blocker chosen. Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated superior prognostic accuracy for NTproBNP both at the 1- and 5-year follow-up compared with ANP, noradrenaline, and adrenaline. In multivariate analysis including established risk markers (New York Heart Association functional class, left ventricular ejection fraction, peak oxygen uptake, and 6-minute walk test), of all neurohumoral parameters, only NTproBNP remained an independent predictor for both end points. Long-term beta-blocker therapy is associated with decreased levels of plasma catecholamines but not natriuretic peptides. This effect is independent from the actual beta-blocker chosen for natriuretic peptides and noradrenaline. In multivariate analysis, both for short-term and long-term prediction of mortality or the combined end point of death and cardiac transplantation, only NTproBNP remained independent from established clinical risk markers.

Risk factors for mortality and ischemic heart disease in patients with long-term type 1 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grauslund, Jakob; Mejnert Jørgensen, Trine; Nybo, Mads

2010-01-01

AIMS: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of glycemic regulation, dyslipidemia, and renal dysfunction on mortality (all-cause and cardiovascular) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) in a long-term follow-up of a population-based cohort of Danish type 1 diabetic patients with at least......-density lipoprotein cholesterol (inversely), total cholesterol, creatinine, and macroalbuminuria. Furthermore, all markers except macroalbuminuria were associated with IHD. Microalbuminuria at baseline was not related to any of the endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: Glycemic regulation, dyslipidemia, and renal dysfunction were...

Synergistic effects of combined immunosuppressive modulation. I. Unresponsiveness to dendritic cell-depleted renal allografts in dogs exposed to total-lymphoid irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rapaport, F.T.; Meek, A.; Miura, S.; Hayashi, R.; Arnold, A.N.; Strober, S.

1988-01-01

Attenuation of the allogeneic stimulus provided by dendritic cells (DC) was achieved by irradiation of the donors, followed by their reconstitution with bone marrow from the prospective DLA-identical recipient. Following long-term (131-187 days) recovery free of graft-versus-host (GVH) disease, the chimeric kidneys were placed into the corresponding recipients; such allografts were rejected at 55, 55, and 60 days, respectively. Four other recipients were conditioned with 1750-1790 cgy of total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) and were then given a similar chimeric kidney from the corresponding partner. These allografts currently survive for 296, 295, 290, and 252 days, respectively. A third group of four dogs was exposed to TLI prior to transplantation of a normal DLA-identical kidney. These grafts were rejected at 20, 42, 46, and 242 days, respectively. Thirteen DLA-identical renal allografts transplanted into normal dogs survived for 13-38 days (mean survival time = 28.6 days). Depletion of allogeneic DC alone, or TLI alone, produced relative prolongations in allograft survival in canine recipients. Combined use of these two modalities, however, resulted in long-term allogeneic unresponsiveness in the recipients

EXAMINATION OF ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF THE ATRIUMS IN PATIENTS WITH LONG-TERM PERSISTENT FORM OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND VALVULAR HEART DISEASE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Kulikov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The study objective is to examine electrophysiological parameters of atrial myocardium, characteristics of atrioventricular conduction, and potential factors affecting recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF in patients with persistent and long-term persistent forms of AF prior to the Labirynth IIIB surgery with single-step correction of valvular heart disease.Materials and methods. The study included 100 adults (48 men, 52 women with persistent and long-term persistent forms of AF and different valvular heart diseases. Mean patient age was 59 years. Mean AF duration was 4 years. All patients were prescribed antiarrhythmic therapy but it proved ineffective. In 15 % of patients, restoration of the sinus rhythm was attempted through electrical cardioversion but long-term control of the sinus rhythm wasn’t achieved. All patients were diagnosed with organic pathology of the mitral valve. Also, in 80 % of patients, relative insufficiency of the tricuspid valve was detected. Chronic heart failure functional class per NYHA was III. Size of the left atrium was 5 cm, mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 61 %. All patients underwent electrical cardioversion. After successful restoration of the sinus rhythm, endocardial electrophysiology study (EES of the heart was performed. Then, correction of valvular pathologies and the Labyrinth IIIB surgery were performed. Results. Examination of refractoriness of different parts of the atriums has shown that effective refractory period (ERP of the atrioventricular node was minimal compared to other parts of the atriums. Maximal ERP duration was observed in the upper part of the right atrium. Therefore, in patients with long history of AF, heterogeneity of atrial myocardium ERP duration is observed. In 17 % of patients, atrial vulnerability was detected. The area of atrial vulnerability was always associated with ERP. Its duration in patients with atrial vulnerability was significantly higher.Conclusion. Long-term

Peritransplant Soluble CD30 as a Risk Factor for Slow Kidney Allograft Function, Early Acute Rejection, Worse Long-Term Allograft Function, and Patients' Survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Trailin, Andriy V; Ostapenko, Tetyana I; Nykonenko, Tamara N; Nesterenko, Svitlana N; Nykonenko, Olexandr S

2017-01-01

We aimed to determine whether serum soluble CD30 (sCD30) could identify recipients at high risk for unfavorable early and late kidney transplant outcomes. Serum sCD30 was measured on the day of kidney transplantation and on the 4th day posttransplant. We assessed the value of these measurements in predicting delayed graft function, slow graft function (SGF), acute rejection (AR), pyelonephritis, decline of allograft function after 6 months, and graft and patient survival during 5 years of follow-up in 45 recipients. We found the association between low pretransplant serum levels of sCD30 and SGF. The absence of significant decrease of sCD30 on the 4th day posttransplant was characteristic for SGF, early AR (the 8th day-6 months), late AR (>6 months), and early pyelonephritis (the 8th day-2 months). Lower pretransplant and posttransplant sCD30 predicted worse allograft function at 6 months and 2 years, respectively. Higher pretransplant sCD30 was associated with higher frequency of early AR, and worse patients' survival, but only in the recipients of deceased-donor graft. Pretransplant sCD30 also allowed to differentiate patients with early pyelonephritis and early AR. Peritransplant sCD30 is useful in identifying patients at risk for unfavorable early and late transplant outcomes.

Peritransplant Soluble CD30 as a Risk Factor for Slow Kidney Allograft Function, Early Acute Rejection, Worse Long-Term Allograft Function, and Patients' Survival

Science.gov (United States)

Ostapenko, Tetyana I.; Nykonenko, Tamara N.; Nesterenko, Svitlana N.; Nykonenko, Olexandr S.

2017-01-01

Background We aimed to determine whether serum soluble CD30 (sCD30) could identify recipients at high risk for unfavorable early and late kidney transplant outcomes. Methods Serum sCD30 was measured on the day of kidney transplantation and on the 4th day posttransplant. We assessed the value of these measurements in predicting delayed graft function, slow graft function (SGF), acute rejection (AR), pyelonephritis, decline of allograft function after 6 months, and graft and patient survival during 5 years of follow-up in 45 recipients. Results We found the association between low pretransplant serum levels of sCD30 and SGF. The absence of significant decrease of sCD30 on the 4th day posttransplant was characteristic for SGF, early AR (the 8th day–6 months), late AR (>6 months), and early pyelonephritis (the 8th day–2 months). Lower pretransplant and posttransplant sCD30 predicted worse allograft function at 6 months and 2 years, respectively. Higher pretransplant sCD30 was associated with higher frequency of early AR, and worse patients' survival, but only in the recipients of deceased-donor graft. Pretransplant sCD30 also allowed to differentiate patients with early pyelonephritis and early AR. Conclusions Peritransplant sCD30 is useful in identifying patients at risk for unfavorable early and late transplant outcomes. PMID:28694560

Long-term effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril on chronic heart failure. Examination by 123I-MIBG imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soeki, Takeshi; Tamura, Yoshiyuki; Bandou, Kanji; Tanaka, Hideji; Takeichi, Naoki; Shinohara, Hisanori; Yui, Yasuko; Fukuda, Nobuo; Sui, Osamu

1998-01-01

To examine the long-term effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril on chronic heart failure, 10 patients (7 men and 3 women, mean age: 62±11 years) with chronic stable heart failure, classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class 2-3 for more than 3 months, and a left ventricular ejection fraction less than 45% were treated with 2.5-5.0 mg of enalapril once a day for 3-15 months (mean 7 months). The causes of heart failure were old myocardial infarction (n=7), hypertension (n=2), and atrial fibrillation (n=1). Radioiodinated metaiodobenzyl guanidine ( 123 I-MIBG) imaging, radionuclide angiography, and treadmill exercise test were performed before and after the treatment. With enalapril treatment, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) increased significantly from 38.3±6.9% to 47.5±14.7%; sub-maximal exercise time increased significantly from 205±112 to 272±120 seconds; the heart to mediastinum (H/M) ratio of 123 I-MIBG increased significantly (early image: 1.99±0.38 versus 2.20±0.50; delayed image: 1.86±0.44 versus 2.09±0.51); and the washout rate of 123 I-MIBG decreased slightly from 29.1±9.1% to 25.4±7.0%. The improvement rate of LVEF was significantly correlated with the improvement rates of the H/M ratio and washout rate after treatment with enalapril. Thus, the long-term effects of enalapril can be observed in the cardiac sympathetic nervous system, and 123 I-MIBG imaging appears to be useful for evaluating the therapeutic effects of enalapril on the cardiac sympathetic nervous system in patients with chronic heart failure. (author)

An osteophyte in the tibial plateau is a risk factor for allograft extrusion after meniscus allograft transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Byeongsam; Kim, Jong-Min; Kim, Jong-Min; Lee, Chang-Rack; Kim, Kyung-Ah; Bin, Seong-Il

2015-05-01

Osteophytes can be observed on the tibial plateau during meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT). However, no studies to date have evaluated the effect of these osteophytes on meniscus allograft extrusion. Osteophyte excision in the tibial plateau could reduce extrusion of the transplanted meniscus and improve short-term clinical outcomes with meniscus allograft transplantation. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Between October 2004 and July 2012, a total of 323 patients underwent MAT at a single institution. Of these, 88 patients had a peripheral osteophyte in their tibial plateau, and they were enrolled in the study retrospectively. The mean age of the patients was 35.3 years (range, 15-56 years); there were 57 male and 31 female patients. Forty-four patients underwent osteophyte excision concomitantly with MAT and 44 patients underwent MAT only. The 2 groups showed no difference in terms of age, body mass index, time after meniscectomy, and preoperative knee scores. A medial meniscus allograft was transplanted in 13 cases (15%) and a lateral meniscus in 75 (85%). The absolute extrusion and relative percentage of extrusion were measured to evaluate allograft extrusion 12 months after MAT. The modified Lysholm scoring system and the Hospital for Special Surgery score at 2 years after MAT were used to evaluate clinical outcomes. The mean absolute extrusions at 1 year postoperatively in the excision and nonexcision groups were 3.5±1.5 and 5.5±1.6 mm, respectively. The mean relative percentages of extrusion were 34.1%±15.9% and 54.7%±20.7%, respectively. The rates of allograft extrusion (>3 mm) were 28 of 44 (63.6%) and 41 of 44 (93.2%) in the excision and nonexcision groups, respectively. The intergroup differences in absolute extrusion, relative percentage of extrusion, and rate of allograft extrusion were statistically significant (P<.001 for all 3 parameters). There were no significant differences in the clinical outcomes (modified Lysholm or Hospital of

Long-term physical activity in leisure time and mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, and cancer. The Copenhagen City Heart Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schnohr, Peter; Lange, Peter; Scharling, Henrik

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to describe the associations between different levels of long-term physical activity in leisure time and subsequent causes of deaths. DESIGN: The Copenhagen City Heart Study is a prospective cardiovascular population study of 19 329 men and women aged 20......-93 in 1976. Physical activity in leisure time was estimated at the examinations in 1976-78 and 1981-83. This analysis consists of 2136 healthy men and 2758 women aged 20-79 years, with unchanged physical activity at the two examinations, and with all covariates included in the multivariate analyses: smoking...... gained years of expected lifetime from age 50. Men with high physical activity survived 6.8 years longer, and men with moderate physical activity 4.9 years longer than sedentary men. For women the figures were 6.4 and 5.5 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: Long-term moderate or high physical activity...

Histologic and tomographic findings of bone block allografts in a 4 years follow-up: a case series

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deluiz, Daniel; Pires, Fabio Ramoa; Tinoco, Justine Monnerat; Tinoco, Eduardo Muniz Barretto [Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Oliveira, Luciano Santos, E-mail: d.deluiz@implanto-puc.org [Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Fletcher, Paul [Department of Periodontology, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, New York, NY (United States)

2016-11-15

The aim of this paper is to report histologic and tomographic findings of fresh frozen bone block allografts bearing dental implants in functional occlusion in a long-term follow-up. Four patients with implants functionally loaded for 4 years on augmented ridges requiring additional mucogingival surgery or implant placement were included in this case series. Cone-beam tomography scans were compared volumetrically between the baseline (first implant placement) and current images. Biopsies of the grafts were retrieved and sent to histological analysis. Volumetric reduction of the grafts varied from 2.1 to 7.7%. Histological evaluation demonstrated well-incorporated grafts with different degrees of remodeling. While data presented in this report are from a small sample size and do not allow definitive conclusions, the biopsies of the grafted sites were very similar to the host's native bone. Remodeling of the cortical portion of the allografts seems to take longer than the cancellous portion. The presence of unincorporated graft remains did not impair the implant success or the health of the surrounding tissues. This is the first time histologic and tomographic long term data of bone allograft have been made available in dentistry. (author)

Histologic and tomographic findings of bone block allografts in a 4 years follow-up: a case series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deluiz, Daniel; Pires, Fabio Ramoa; Tinoco, Justine Monnerat; Tinoco, Eduardo Muniz Barretto; Oliveira, Luciano Santos; Fletcher, Paul

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to report histologic and tomographic findings of fresh frozen bone block allografts bearing dental implants in functional occlusion in a long-term follow-up. Four patients with implants functionally loaded for 4 years on augmented ridges requiring additional mucogingival surgery or implant placement were included in this case series. Cone-beam tomography scans were compared volumetrically between the baseline (first implant placement) and current images. Biopsies of the grafts were retrieved and sent to histological analysis. Volumetric reduction of the grafts varied from 2.1 to 7.7%. Histological evaluation demonstrated well-incorporated grafts with different degrees of remodeling. While data presented in this report are from a small sample size and do not allow definitive conclusions, the biopsies of the grafted sites were very similar to the host's native bone. Remodeling of the cortical portion of the allografts seems to take longer than the cancellous portion. The presence of unincorporated graft remains did not impair the implant success or the health of the surrounding tissues. This is the first time histologic and tomographic long term data of bone allograft have been made available in dentistry. (author)

Orthotopic Transplantation of Achilles Tendon Allograft in Rats: With or without Incorporation of Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Aynardi, Michael; Zahoor, Talal; Mitchell, Reed; Loube, Jeffrey; Feltham, Tyler; Manandhar, Lumanti; Paudel, Sharada; Schon, Lew; Zhang, Zijun

2018-02-01

The biology and function of orthotopic transplantation of Achilles tendon allograft are unknown. Particularly, the revitalization of Achilles allograft is a clinical concern. Achilles allografts were harvested from donor rats and stored at -80 °C. Subcutaneous adipose tissue was harvested from the would-be allograft recipient rats for isolation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs were cultured with growth differentiation factor-5 (GDF-5) and applied onto Achilles allografts on the day of transplantation. After the native Achilles tendon was resected from the left hind limb of the rats, Achilles allograft, with or without autologous MSCs, was implanted and sutured with calf muscles proximally and calcaneus distally. Animal gait was recorded presurgery and postsurgery weekly. The animals were sacrificed at week 4, and the transplanted Achilles allografts were collected for biomechanical testing and histology. The operated limbs had altered gait. By week 4, the paw print intensity, stance time, and duty cycle (percentage of the stance phase in a step cycle) of the reconstructed limbs were mostly recovered to the baselines recorded before surgery. Maximum load of failure was not different between Achilles allografts, with or without MSCs, and the native tendons. The Achilles allograft supplemented with MSCs had higher cellularity than the Achilles allograft without MSCs. Deposition of fine collagen (type III) fibers was active in Achilles allograft, with or without MSCs, but it was more evenly distributed in the allografts that were incubated with MSCs. In conclusion, orthotopically transplanted Achilles allograft healed with host tissues, regained strength, and largely restored Achilles function in 4 wk in rats. It is therefore a viable option for the reconstruction of a large Achilles tendon defect. Supplementation of MSCs improved repopulation of Achilles allograft, but large animal models, with long-term follow up and cell tracking, may be required to fully

Long-term, regular remote ischemic preconditioning improves endothelial function in patients with coronary heart disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Y.; Li, Y.P.; He, F.; Liu, X.Q.; Zhang, J.Y. [Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou (China)

2015-04-28

Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPre) can prevent myocardial injury. The purpose of this study was to assess the beneficial effects of long-term regular RIPre on human arteries. Forty patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery were assigned randomly to a RIPre group (n=20) or coronary heart disease (CHD) group (n=20). Twenty patients scheduled for mastectomy were enrolled as a control group. RIPre was achieved by occluding arterial blood flow 5 min with a mercury sphygmomanometer followed by a 5-min reperfusion period, and this was repeated 4 times. The RIPre procedure was repeated 3 times a day for 20 days. In all patients, arterial fragments discarded during surgery were collected to evaluate endothelial function by flow-mediated dilation (FMD), CD34{sup +} monocyte count, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS expression). Phosphorylation levels of STAT-3 and Akt were also assayed to explore the underlying mechanisms. Compared with the CHD group, long-term regular RIPre significantly improved FMD after 20 days (8.5±2.4 vs 4.9±4.2%, P<0.05) and significantly reduced troponin after CABG surgery (0.72±0.31 and 1.64±0.19, P<0.05). RIPre activated STAT-3 and increased CD34{sup +} endothelial progenitor cell counts found in arteries. Long-term, regular RIPre improved endothelial function in patients with CHD, possibly due to STAT-3 activation, and this may have led to an increase in endothelial progenitor cells.

Induction of specific unresponsiveness to heart allografts in mongrel dogs treated with total lymphoid irradiation and antithymocyte globulin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strober, S.; Modry, D.L.; Hoppe, R.T.

1984-01-01

The survival of heterotopic heart allografts was determined in mongrel dogs treated with total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) alone or in combination with other immunosuppressive agents. TLI alone (total dose, 1800 rad) minimally prolonged graft survival as compared with untreated controls. However, marked synergy was observed when TLI was combined with a 10-day post-transplant course of rabbit anti-dog thymocyte globulin (ATG). Approximately 40% of recipients given TLI and ATG showed specific unresponsiveness, as judged by the lack of rejection on serial biopsies for more than 1 year and the prompt rejection of third party hearts. The addition of post-transplant azathioprine (90 to 180 days) to the TLI and ATG regimen increased the mortality of recipients and reduced the fraction of dogs showing specific unresponsiveness. Infusion of donor bone marrow cells at the time of heart transplantation failed to induced specific unresponsiveness in recipients given TLI alone or TLI in combination with post-transplant methotrexate, cyclosporine A, or ATG. The results indicate that the combination of TLI and a brief course of ATG without marrow transplantation was the most effective regimen for the induction of specific unresponsiveness in mongrel dogs

Veto cell suppression mechanisms in the prevention of allograft rejection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, I M; Claesson, Mogens Helweg

1998-01-01

Substantial evidence has accumulated to suggest that in the near future implementation of the veto-cell-suppressor concept in the treatment of kidney allograft recipients might lead to the establishment of life-long specific allograft tolerance in the absence of further immunosuppressive therapy....

Should fractures in massive intercalary bone allografts of the lower limb be treated with ORIF or with a new allograft?

Science.gov (United States)

Aponte-Tinao, Luis A; Ayerza, Miguel A; Muscolo, D Luis; Farfalli, Germán L

2015-03-01

Massive bone allografts have been used for limb salvage of bone tumor resections as an alternative to endoprostheses, although they have different outcomes and risks. There is no general consensus about when to use these alternatives, but when it is possible to save the native joints after the resection of a long bone tumor, intercalary allografts offer some advantages despite complications, such as fracture. The management and outcomes of this complication deserve more study. The purposes of this study were to (1) analyze the fracture frequency in a group of patients treated with massive intercalary bone allografts of the femur and tibia; (2) compare the results of allografts treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with those treated with resection and repeat allograft reconstruction; and (3) determine the likelihood that treatment of a fracture resulted in a healed intercalary reconstruction. We reviewed patients treated with intercalary bone allografts between 1991 and 2011. During this period, patients were generally treated with intercalary allografts when after tumor resection at least 1 cm of residual epiphysis remained to allow fixation of the osteotomy junction. To obtain a homogeneous group of patients, we excluded allograft-prosthesis composites and osteoarticular and hemicylindrical intercalary allografts from this study. We analyzed the fracture rate of 135 patients reconstructed with segmental intercalary bone allografts of the lower extremities (98 femurs and 37 tibias). In patients whose grafts fractured were treated either by internal fixation or a second allograft, ORIF generally was attempted but after early failures in femur fractures, these fractures were treated with a second allograft. Using a chart review, we ascertained the frequency of osseous union, complications, and reoperations after the treatment of fractured intercalary allografts. Followup was at a mean of 101 months (range, 24-260 months); of the original 135

Relationship between CGRP level and acute reject reaction in cardiac allograft recipient in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Lusheng; Zhao Xin; Song Guangmin; Yang Xixiu; Song Huimin

2001-01-01

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and acute reject reaction in the cardiac allograft in rat. Methods: There were 28 wistar rats with inbreeding line as donors and SD rats as recipients. Cervical heart allograft model was used. Blood was sampled from the third day after grafting to terminal reject reaction when the acceptors were killed. 32 rats without allograft were regarded as the normal controls. Results: The mean survival time of the experimental group was 7.21±2.36 days. Volume of the allografts was greatly increased with hyperemia and edema. CGRP level in the plasma of experimental rats was 180.18±69.77 ng/L, while the level of control rats was 277.41 ± 79.02 ng/L. The deference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: In the acute reject reaction, CGRP level is greatly decreased in the plasma of cardiac allograft recipients. Further studies are therefore needed to investigate the application of CGRP measurement in the prevention and treatment of rejection reaction of cardiac allograft

Long-term effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril on chronic heart failure. Examination by {sup 123}I-MIBG imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soeki, Takeshi; Tamura, Yoshiyuki; Bandou, Kanji; Tanaka, Hideji; Takeichi, Naoki; Shinohara, Hisanori; Yui, Yasuko; Fukuda, Nobuo; Sui, Osamu [Zentsuji National Hospital, Kagawa (Japan)

1998-11-01

To examine the long-term effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril on chronic heart failure, 10 patients (7 men and 3 women, mean age: 62{+-}11 years) with chronic stable heart failure, classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class 2-3 for more than 3 months, and a left ventricular ejection fraction less than 45% were treated with 2.5-5.0 mg of enalapril once a day for 3-15 months (mean 7 months). The causes of heart failure were old myocardial infarction (n=7), hypertension (n=2), and atrial fibrillation (n=1). Radioiodinated metaiodobenzyl guanidine ({sup 123}I-MIBG) imaging, radionuclide angiography, and treadmill exercise test were performed before and after the treatment. With enalapril treatment, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) increased significantly from 38.3{+-}6.9% to 47.5{+-}14.7%; sub-maximal exercise time increased significantly from 205{+-}112 to 272{+-}120 seconds; the heart to mediastinum (H/M) ratio of {sup 123}I-MIBG increased significantly (early image: 1.99{+-}0.38 versus 2.20{+-}0.50; delayed image: 1.86{+-}0.44 versus 2.09{+-}0.51); and the washout rate of {sup 123}I-MIBG decreased slightly from 29.1{+-}9.1% to 25.4{+-}7.0%. The improvement rate of LVEF was significantly correlated with the improvement rates of the H/M ratio and washout rate after treatment with enalapril. Thus, the long-term effects of enalapril can be observed in the cardiac sympathetic nervous system, and {sup 123}I-MIBG imaging appears to be useful for evaluating the therapeutic effects of enalapril on the cardiac sympathetic nervous system in patients with chronic heart failure. (author)

Description of a Heart Team approach to coronary revascularization and its beneficial long-term effect on clinical events after PCI.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonzel, Tassilo; Schächinger, Volker; Dörge, Hilmar

2016-05-01

We present a first description of a Heart Team (HT)-guided approach to coronary revascularization and its long-term effect on clinical events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The HT approach is a structured process to decide for coronary bypass grafting (CABG), PCI or conservative therapy in ad hoc situations as well as in HT conferences. As a hypothesis, during the long-term course after a PCI performed according to HT rules, a low number of late revascularizations, especially CABGs, are expected (F-PCI study). In this monocentric study, the HT approach to an all-comer population was first analyzed and described in general with the help of a database. Next the use of a HT approach was described for a more homogeneous subgroup with newly detected CAD (1.CAD). Those patients in whom the HT decision was PCI (which was a 1.PCI) were then studied with the help of questionnaires for clinical events during a very long-term follow-up. Events were CABG, PCI, diagnostic catheterization (DCath) and death. A significant number of patients were presented to HT conferences: 22 % out of all 11,174 catheterizations, 24 % out of all 7867 CAD cases and 35 % out of 3408 1.CAD cases. Most of these patients had multi-vessel disease (MVD). Conference decisions were isolated CABG in 46-66 %, PCI in 10-14 %, valvular surgery in 9-16 %, HTx in 10-21 % (Endstage heart failure candidates for surgery) and conservative therapy (Medical or no therapy, additional diagnostic procedures or no adherence to recommended therapy) in 2-3 %. However, most PCIs, ad hoc and elective, were performed under Heart Team rules, but without conference. During follow-up of 1.PCI patients (Kaplan-Meier analysis), CABG occurred in only 15 % of patients, PCI in 37 % and DCath in 65 %; mortality of any course was 51 %. Mortalities were similar in one-vessel disease and in a population of the same year, matched for age and sex (p PCI patients with MVD (p PCI) rates after a 1.PCI, without

Triiodothyronine and brain natriuretic peptide: similar long-term prognostic values for chronic heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozdag, Guliz; Ertas, Gokhan; Kilic, Teoman; Acar, Eser; Sahin, Tayfun; Ural, Dilek

2010-01-01

Although low levels of free triiodothyronine and high levels of brain natriuretic peptide have been shown as independent predictors of death in chronic heart failure patients, few studies have compared their prognostic values. The aim of this prospective study was to measure free triiodothyronine and brain natriuretic peptide levels and to compare their prognostic values among such patients.A total of 334 patients (mean age, 62 ± 13 yr; 218 men) with ischemic and nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy were included in the study. The primary endpoint was a major cardiac event.During the follow-up period, 92 patients (28%) experienced a major cardiac event. Mean free triiodothyronine levels were lower and median brain natriuretic peptide levels were higher in patients with major cardiac events than in those without. A significant negative correlation was found between free triiodothyronine and brain natriuretic peptide levels. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the predictive cutoff values were triiodothyronine and > 686 pg/mL for brain natriuretic peptide. Cumulative survival was significantly lower among patients with free triiodothyronine 686 pg/mL. In multivariate analysis, the significant independent predictors of major cardiac events were age, free triiodothyronine, and brain natriuretic peptide.In the present study, free triiodothyronine and brain natriuretic peptide had similar prognostic values for predicting long-term prognosis in chronic heart failure patients. These results also suggested that combining these biomarkers may provide an important risk indicator for patients with heart failure.

Complications of massive allograft reconstruction for bone tumors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abolhasan Borjian

2006-11-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Since the evolution of multi-drug chemotherapy and radiotherapy and new sophisticated surgical techniques, limb salvage and reconstruction, rather than amputation, has become the preferred treatment for patients with bone tumors. One option is allograft replacement. Although allograft has several advantages, it is not without complications. This study was performed to observe these complications in a group of patients treated with allograft replacement for bone tumor resection. The purpose was to gain an overview of the factors predisposing to these complications to minimize their occurrence. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed on patients with benign aggressive and malignant bone tumors undergoing limb reconstruction with allograft between 1997 and 2005 in Al-Zahra and Kashani Hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. Data was collected from patient files, clinical notes, radiographs and a recent physical examination. Complications including local recurrence, fracture of allograft, fixation failure, nonunion, infection, skin necrosis and neurological damage were recorded. RESULTS: Sixty patients including 39 males and 21 females were studied. The mean age of patients was 23 ± 11.7 years. The mean follow-up interval was 28.1 ± 12.4 months (mean ± SD. Complications were allograft fracture in 20%, local recurrence in 16%, fixation failure in 11%, nonunion in 6%, infection in 6%, skin necrosis in 6%, and peroneal nerve palsy in 1% of cases. Most local recurrences (60% were those with a mal-performed biopsy. Most allograft fractures occurred when a short plate was used. CONCLUSIONS: Allograft replacement for bone tumors remains a valid option. To avoid complications, biopsy should be done by a trained surgeon in bone oncology. A long plate is recommended for fixation. Sterility and graft processing must be optimal. Autogenous bone graft must be added at host-allograft junction. KEY WORDS: Bone tumors, bone allograft, limb

Heart diseases and long-term risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease: a population-based CAIDE study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rusanen, Minna; Kivipelto, Miia; Levälahti, Esko; Laatikainen, Tiina; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Soininen, Hilkka; Ngandu, Tiia

2014-01-01

Many cardiovascular risk factors are shown to increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the impact of heart disease on later development of dementia is still unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) related to midlife and late-life atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), and coronary artery disease (CAD) in a population-based study with a follow-up of over 25 years. Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study includes 2000 participants who were randomly selected from four separate, population-based samples originally studied in midlife (1972, 1977, 1982, or 1987). Re-examinations were carried out in 1998 and 2005-2008. Altogether 1,510 (75.5%) persons participated in at least one re-examination, and 127 (8.4%) persons were diagnosed with dementia (of which 102 had AD). AF in late-life was an independent risk factor for dementia (HR 2.61, 95% CI 1.05-6.47; p = 0.039) and AD (HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.04-6.16; p = 0.040) in the fully adjusted analyses. The association was even stronger among the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 non-carriers. Late-life HF, but not CAD, tended to increase the risks as well. Heart diseases diagnosed at midlife did not increase the risk of later dementia and AD. Late-life heart diseases increase the subsequent risk of dementia and AD. Prevention and effective treatment of heart diseases may be important also from the perspective of brain health and cognitive functioning.

Ethical dilemma: offering short-term extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for terminally ill children who are not candidates for long-term mechanical circulatory support or heart transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, Venkat; Costello, John P; Peer, Syed M; Klugman, Darren; Nath, Dilip S

2014-04-01

The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in terminally ill pediatric patients who are not candidates for long-term mechanical circulatory support or heart transplantation requires careful deliberation. We present the case of a 16-year-old female with a relapse of acute lymphoid leukemia and acute-on-chronic cardiomyopathy who received short-term ECMO therapy. In addition, we highlight several ethical considerations that were crucial to this patient's family-centered care and demonstrate that this therapy can be accomplished in a manner that respects patient autonomy and family wishes.

Long term health care consumption and cost expenditure in systolic heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Mejhert, Märit; Lindgren, Peter; Schill, Owe; Edner, Magnus; Persson, Hans; Kahan, Thomas

2013-04-01

The prevalence, health care consumption, and mortality increase in elderly patients with heart failure. This study aimed to analyse long term cost expenditure and predictors of health care consumption in these patients. We included 208 patients aged 60 years or older and hospitalised with heart failure (NYHA class II-IV and left ventricular systolic dysfunction); 58% were men, mean age 76 years, and mean ejection fraction 0.34. Data on all hospital admissions, discharge diagnoses, lengths of stay, and outpatient visits were collected from the National Board of Health and Welfare. We obtained data of all health care consumption for each individual. After 8-12 years of prospective follow up 72% were dead (median survival 4.6 years). Main drivers of health care expenditure were non-cardiac (40%) and cardiac (29%) hospitalizations, and visits to primary care centres (16%), and hospital outpatient clinics (15%). On average, health care expenditures were € 36,447 per patient during follow up. The average yearly cost per patient was about 5,700€, in contrast to the estimated consumption of primary and hospital care in the general population: € 1,956 in 65-74 year olds and € 2,701 in 75-84 year olds. Poor quality of life (Nottingham Health Profile) was the strongest independent predictor of total health care consumption and costs (pheart failure are at least two-fold higher than in the general population. Quality of life is a strong independent predictor of health care consumption. Copyright © 2012 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increased circulating follicular helper T cells with decreased programmed death-1 in chronic renal allograft rejection.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jian; Luo, Fengbao; Shi, Qianqian; Xu, Xianlin; He, Xiaozhou; Xia, Ying

2015-11-03

Chronic antibody-mediated rejection is a major issue that affects long-term renal allograft survival. Since follicular helper T (Tfh) cells promote the development of antigen-specific B cells in alloimmune responses, we investigated the potential roles of Tfh cells, B cells and their alloimmune-regulating molecules in the pathogenesis of chronic renal allograft rejection in this study. The frequency of Tfh, B cells and the levels of their alloimmune-regulating molecules including chemokine receptor type 5 (CXCR5), inducible T cell co-stimulator (ICOS), programmed death-1 (PD-1), ICOSL, PDL-1 and interleukin-21 (IL-21), of peripheral blood were comparatively measured in 42 primary renal allograft recipients within 1-3 years after transplantation. Among them, 24 patients had definite chronic rejection, while other 18 patients had normal renal function. Tfh-cell ratio was significantly increased with PD-1 down-regulation in the patients with chronic renal allograft rejection, while B cells and the alloimmune-regulating molecules studied did not show any appreciable change in parallel. The patients with chronic renal allograft rejection have a characteristic increase in circulating Tfh cells with a decrease in PD-1 expression. These pathological changes may be a therapeutic target for the treatment of chronic renal allograft rejection and can be useful as a clinical index for monitoring conditions of renal transplant.

In situ replacement of infected vascular prosthesis with fresh arterial homograft: Early and long-term results in 18 patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pejkić Siniša

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Graft infection is rightly considered one of the severest complications of vascular reconstruction. Treatment is non­standardized and associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. The choice of therapeutic modality depends upon variety of factors. One increasingly used option is in situ replacement of the infected prosthesis with the arterial allograft. Objective. The aim of this prospective nonrandomized study was to evaluate the effectiveness and durability of fresh arterial allograft as in situ substitute for the infected vascular prosthesis. Methods. During period of 2002-2005, 18 patients with the synthetic vascular graft infection underwent partial or complete prosthesis removal and secondary in situ reconstruction using the fresh arterial allograft, preserved under hypothermic conditions in buffered saline solution with an addition of antibiotics. Results. In 14 male and 4 female patients, meanaged 62 years, 8 aortic and 10 peripheral arterial infected prostheses were partially or completely replaced with the allograft. Operative mortality was 27.8% and amputation rate was 22.2%. Systemic sepsis at initial presentation and highly virulent nature of causative microorganisms were identified as significant negative prognostic factors (χ² test, p<0.05. During the long­term follow­up (mean 47 months, allograft aneurysm developed in three patients, requiring allograft explantation, followed in two cases by tertiary prosthetic reconstruction. Conclusion. Substitution of the infected prosthesis with the arterial allograft could be successful if used selectively - for less virulent and localized infections of extracavitary grafts. Close follow­up is mandatory for timely diagnosis of late homograft lesions and its eventual replacement with more durable prosthetic material.

Bone marrow mononuclear cell implantation in myocardial laser channels in the ischemic heart disease surgery. Long-term results

Science.gov (United States)

Chernyavskiy, Alexander; Fomichev, Alexey; Minin, Stanislav; Nikitin, Nikita

2017-10-01

Background: The problem of incomplete myocardial revascularization for diffuse and distal lesions of the myocardium is still relevant. We assessed the clinical and instrumental long-term results of autologous bone marrow cell (BMC) implantation in laser channels in ischemic heart disease with diffuse and distal coronary disease. 35 coronary heart disease (CHD) patients with diffuse and distal coronary disease during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) underwent BMC implantation in laser channels. The control group consisted of 29 patients. All patients in this group underwent only CABG. Clinical and instrumental assessment of the method's effect was carried out at two weeks, six months, and six years after surgery. Indirect revascularization showed more significant decreasing of the functional class (FC) New York Heart Association (NYHA), myocardial perfusion and contractility improvement. Autologous BMC implantation in laser channels is an effective method of CHD surgical treatment if it is impossible to perform direct myocardial revascularization. The indirect revascularization effect is formed in the first six months after surgery and remains at the same level for six years.

System overview of the fully implantable destination therapy--ReinHeart-total artificial heart.

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Pelletier, Benedikt; Spiliopoulos, Sotirios; Finocchiaro, Thomas; Graef, Felix; Kuipers, Kristin; Laumen, Marco; Guersoy, Dilek; Steinseifer, Ulrich; Koerfer, Reiner; Tenderich, Gero

2015-01-01

Owing to the lack of suitable allografts, the demand for long-term mechanical circulatory support in patients with biventricular end-stage heart failure is rising. Currently available Total Artificial Heart (TAH) systems consist of pump units with only limited durability, percutaneous tubes and bulky external equipment that limit the quality of life. Therefore we are focusing on the development of a fully implantable, highly durable destination therapy total artificial heart. The ReinHeart-TAH system consists of a passively filling pump unit driven by a low-wear linear drive between two artificial ventricles, an implantable control unit and a compliance chamber. The TAH is powered by a transcutaneous energy transmission system. The flow distribution inside the ventricles was analysed by fluid structure interaction simulation and particle image velocimetry measurements. Along with durability tests, the hydrodynamic performance and flow balance capability were evaluated in a mock circulation loop. Animal trials are ongoing. Based on fluid structure interaction simulation and particle image velocimetry, blood stagnation areas have been significantly reduced. In the mock circulation loop the ReinHeart-TAH generated a cardiac output of 5 l/min at an operating frequency of 120 bpm and an aortic pressure of 120/80 mmHg. The highly effective preload sensitivity of the passively filling ventricles allowed the sensorless integration of the Frank Starling mechanism. The ReinHeart-TAH effectively replaced the native heart's function in animals for up to 2 days. In vitro and in vivo testing showed a safe and effective function of the ReinHeart-TAH system. This has the potential to become an alternative to transplantation. However, before a first-in-man implant, chronic animal trials still have to be completed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Does Donor Age of Nonirradiated Achilles Tendon Allograft Influence Mid-Term Results of Revision ACL Reconstruction?

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Zaffagnini, Stefano; Roberti di Sarsina, Tommaso; Bonanzinga, Tommaso; Nitri, Marco; Macchiarola, Luca; Stefanelli, Federico; Lucidi, Gianandrea; Grassi, Alberto

2018-01-01

Purpose  The purpose of the present study was to investigate if the donor age of nonirradiated Achilles tendon allograft could influence the clinical results of revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Methods  All patients that underwent ACL revision between 2004 and 2008 with at least 4 years of follow-up were included. For all the patients that met the inclusion criteria, the age of the graft donor was obtained from the tissue bank. Lysholm score was administered to patients that met inclusion criteria. In addition, patients were divided in two groups based on the donor age (<45 years vs. ≥45 years), and the baseline characteristics and outcomes were compared. Results  Fifty-two patients were evaluated at a mean 4.8 ± 0.8 years follow-up with Lysholm score. The Lysholm significantly improved from 62.3 ± 6.6 at preoperative status to 84.4 ± 12.3 at final follow-up. The mean donor age was 48.7 ± 8.4 years; a significant difference in Lysholm score was noted between patients that received an allograft with a donor age <45 years (14 patients; 27%) and those receiving an allograft with a donor age ≥45 years (38; 73%) (89.5 ± 3.2 vs. 80.1 ± 11.1, respectively; p  = 0.0469). The multiple regression model showed the donor age, the final follow-up, and the preoperative Lysholm score as significant predictors of postoperative Lysholm score ( p  < 0.0002). Conclusion  Donor age of nonirradiated Achilles tendon allograft influenced the mid-term results of revision ACL reconstruction, thus advising the use of grafts from young donors. Level of Evidence  Level III, retrospective comparative study. PMID:29675501

Albumin-coated structural lyophilized bone allografts: a clinical report of 10 cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Klára, Tamás; Csönge, Lajos; Janositz, Gábor; Csernátony, Zoltán; Lacza, Zsombor

2014-03-01

Bone replacement and the use of bone supplementary biological substances have become widespread in clinical practice. Although autografts have excellent properties, their limited availability, difficulties with shaping and donor site morbidity have made allografts a viable and increasingly preferred alternative. The main drawback of allografts is that the preparation destroys osteogenic cells and results in denaturation of osteoinductive proteins. Serum albumin is a well-known constituent of stem cell culture media and we found that lyophilizing albumin onto bone allografts markedly improves stem-cell attachment and bone healing in animal models thus replacing some of the osteoinductive potential. As a first step in the clinical introduction of albumin coated grafts, we aimed to test surgical handling and early incorporation in aseptic revision arthroplasty in humans. We selected patients who needed large structural allografts and the current operation was the last attempt at preserving a moving joint. In a series of 10 cases of hip and knee revision surgery we did not experience any drawbacks of the albumin-coated grafts during handling and implantation. Twelve months radiographic and SPECT-CT follow-up showed that the graft was well received by the host and active remodelling was observed. The lack of graft-related complications and the good 1-year results indicate that controlled trials may be initiated in more common bone grafting indications where long-term effectiveness can be evaluated.

The effects of low-dose radiotherapy on fresh osteochondral allografts: An experimental study in rabbits

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Uğur Gönç

2016-10-01

Conclusion: In osteochondral massive allograft transplantations, the immune reaction of the host could be precluded with radiotherapy, and the side-effects can be prevented by low-dose fractionated regimen. The total dose of fractionated radiotherapy for an immune suppression should be adjusted not to damage the cartilage tissue, but to avoid articular degeneration in the long term.

Late Acute Rejection Occuring in Liver Allograft Recipients

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Eric M Yoshida

1996-01-01

Full Text Available To study the effect of immunosuppressive reduction on the incidence and consequence of late acute rejection (LAR in liver allograft recipients, mean daily prednisone dose, mean cyclosporine A (CsA trough and nadir levels were retrospectively reviewed for the nearest 12-week period preceding six episodes of LAR in five liver allograft recipients (group 1. Results were compared with those from a cohort of 12 liver allograft recipients who did not develop LAR (group 2. LAR was defined as acute rejection occurring more than 365 days post-transplantation. Median follow-up for both groups was similar (504 days, range 367 to 1050, versus 511 days, range 365 to 666, not significant. Mean trough CsA levels were lower in patients with LAR compared with those without (224±66 ng/mL versus 233±49 ng/mL but the difference was not statistically significant. In contrast, mean daily prednisone dose (2.5±1.6 mg/ day versus 6.5±2.9 mg/day, P=0.007 and CsA nadir values (129±60 ng/mL versus 186±40 ng/mL, P=0.03 were significantly lower in patients who developed LAR compared with those who did not. Five of six episodes (83% of LAR occurred in patients receiving less than 5 mg/day of prednisone, versus a single LAR episode in only one of 12 patients (8% receiving prednisone 5 mg/day or more (P=0.004. In all but one instance, LAR responded to pulse methylprednisolone without discernible affect on long term graft function. The authors conclude that liver allograft recipients remain vulnerable to acute rejection beyond the first post-transplant year; and reduction of immunosuppressive therapy, particularly prednisone, below a critical, albeit low dose, threshold increases the risk of LAR.

Kidney allograft survival in dogs treated with total lymphoid irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, R.J.; Sutherland, D.E.R.; Lum, C.T.; Lewis, W.I.; Kim, T.H.; Slavin, S.; Najarian, J.S.

1981-01-01

Total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) is immunosuppressive and, in rodents, can induce a state where transplantation of allogenic bone marrow results in chimerism and permanent acceptance of organ allografts from the donor strain. Twelve splenectomized dogs were treated with TLI (150 rads per fraction, total dose 1950 to 3000 rads) before bilateral nephrectomy and renal allotransplantation. Eight dogs received bone marrow from the kidney donor. In 13 untreated control dogs renal allografts functioned for a mean +- (SE) of 4.7 +- 0.3 days. In the four TLI treated dogs who did not receive bone marrow the renal allografts functioned for 15 to 76 days (two dogs died with functioning grafts). In the eight TLI treated dogs who received donor bone marrow, two died immediately after transplantation, two rejected at 3 and 13 days, one died at 13 days with a functioning graft, and two have had the grafts function for longer than 500 days. Chimerism was not detected in the one dog tested. The response of peripheral blood lymphocytes to stimulation with phytohemaglutinin and in mixed lymphocyte culture was suppressed for at least one month after TLI. The results confirm the immunosuppressive effect of TLI. The absence of kidney rejection in two recipients of donor bone marrow show the potential of this approach to induce long-term immunologic unresponsiveness as to an organ allograft, but the outcome is unpredictable and further experiments are needed to define the optimal conditions for administration of TLI and bone marrow to the recipients

Deceased donor skin allograft banking: Response and utilization

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Gore Madhuri

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Background: In the absence of xenograft and biosynthetic skin substitutes, deceased donor skin allografts is a feasible option for saving life of patient with extensive burn injury in our country. Aims: The first deceased donor skin allograft bank in India became functional at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal (LTM medical college and hospital on 24 th April 2000. The response of Indian society to this new concept of skin donation after death and the pattern of utilization of banked allografts from 2000 to 2010 has been presented in this study. Settings and Design: This allograft skin bank was established by the department of surgery. The departments of surgery and microbiology share the responsibility of smooth functioning of the bank. Materials and Methods: The response in terms of number of donations and the profile of donors was analyzed from records. Pattern and outcome of allograft utilization was studied from specially designed forms. Results: During these ten years, 262 deceased donor skin allograft donations were received. The response showed significant improvement after counselling was extended to the community. Majority of the donors were above 70 years of age and procurement was done at home for most. Skin allografts from 249 donors were used for 165 patients in ten years. The outcome was encouraging with seven deaths in 151 recipients with burn injuries. Conclusions: Our experience shows that the Indian society is ready to accept the concept of skin donation after death. Use of skin allografts is life saving for large burns. We need to prepare guidelines for the establishment of more skin banks in the country.

Long-term follow-up in optimally treated and stable heart failure patients: primary care vs. heart failure clinic. Results of the COACH-2 study.

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Luttik, Marie Louise A; Jaarsma, Tiny; van Geel, Peter Paul; Brons, Maaike; Hillege, Hans L; Hoes, Arno W; de Jong, Richard; Linssen, Gerard; Lok, Dirk J A; Berge, Marjolein; van Veldhuisen, Dirk J

2014-11-01

It has been suggested that home-based heart failure (HF) management in primary care may be an alternative to clinic-based management in HF patients. However, little is known about adherence to HF guidelines and adherence to the medication regimen in these home-based programmes. The aim of the current study was to determine whether long-term follow-up and treatment in primary care is equally effective as follow-up at a specialized HF clinic in terms of guideline adherence and patient adherence, in HF patients initially managed and up-titrated to optimal treatment at a specialized HF clinic. We conducted a multicentre, randomized, controlled study in 189 HF patients (62% male, age 72 ± 11 years), who were assigned to follow-up either in primary care (n = 97) or in a HF clinic (n = 92). After 12 months, no differences between guideline adherence, as estimated by the Guideline Adherence Indicator (GAI-3), and patient adherence, in terms of the medication possession ratio (MPR), were found between treatment groups. There was no difference in the number of deaths (n = 12 in primary care and n = 8 in the HF clinic; P = 0.48), and hospital readmissions for cardiovascular (CV) reasons were also similar. The total number of unplanned non-CV hospital readmissions, however, tended to be higher in the primary care group (n = 22) than in the HF clinic group (n = 10; P = 0.05). Patients discharged after initial management in a specialized HF clinic can be discharged to primary care for long-term follow-up with regard to maintaining guideline adherence and patient adherence. However, the complexity of the HF syndrome and its associated co-morbidities requires continuous monitoring. Close collaboration between healthcare providers will be crucial in order to provide HF patients with optimal, integrated care. © 2014 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure © 2014 European Society of Cardiology.

Biochemical effects on long-term frozen human costal cartilage

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Santin, Stefany P.; Martinho Junior, Antonio C.; Yoshito, Daniele; Soares, Fernando A.N.; Mathor, Monica B., E-mail: mathor@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2011-07-01

Currently, the progresses on treatment of musculoskeletal diseases with the evolving of artificial implants and the success of tissue transplantation between genetically different individuals have conducted to an increase in radiosterilization. Regarding to tissue transplantation, it is essential to have sterile tissue and many tissue banks use radiosterilization as an effective method to sterilize these tissues. However, high doses of ionizing radiation and the preservation method may induce structural modifications in the tissues, as degradation of structural scaffold, decreasing its mechanical properties. Particularly, cartilage have been preserved in high concentrations of glycerol or deep-frozen at -70 degree C for storage after radiosterilization. Therefore, it is important to study the modifications induced in cartilage by preservation methods and by radiosterilization to determine the appropriated parameters for high quality of human allografts. Costal cartilages were obtained from cadaveric donors and were frozen at -20 degree C for 2 years long in order to compare with previous studies for fresh, deep-frozen and glycerolised cartilages. The mechanical tests were carried out in a universal testing machine until sample failure. According our results, there is no significant statistical difference between stress at break of fresh, long-term - 20 degree C frozen cartilages and deep-frozen cartilage. This early result suggests, regarding to tensile property, that long-term - 20 degree C frozen cartilages corresponds to glycerolised costal cartilages irradiated with 25 kGy or deep-frozen cartilages irradiated with 25 and 50 kGy. Thus, this long-term frozen cartilages may be used for tissue banks, but more studies about effects of ionizing radiation are necessary. (author)

Biochemical effects on long-term frozen human costal cartilage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santin, Stefany P.; Martinho Junior, Antonio C.; Yoshito, Daniele; Soares, Fernando A.N.; Mathor, Monica B.

2011-01-01

Currently, the progresses on treatment of musculoskeletal diseases with the evolving of artificial implants and the success of tissue transplantation between genetically different individuals have conducted to an increase in radiosterilization. Regarding to tissue transplantation, it is essential to have sterile tissue and many tissue banks use radiosterilization as an effective method to sterilize these tissues. However, high doses of ionizing radiation and the preservation method may induce structural modifications in the tissues, as degradation of structural scaffold, decreasing its mechanical properties. Particularly, cartilage have been preserved in high concentrations of glycerol or deep-frozen at -70 degree C for storage after radiosterilization. Therefore, it is important to study the modifications induced in cartilage by preservation methods and by radiosterilization to determine the appropriated parameters for high quality of human allografts. Costal cartilages were obtained from cadaveric donors and were frozen at -20 degree C for 2 years long in order to compare with previous studies for fresh, deep-frozen and glycerolised cartilages. The mechanical tests were carried out in a universal testing machine until sample failure. According our results, there is no significant statistical difference between stress at break of fresh, long-term - 20 degree C frozen cartilages and deep-frozen cartilage. This early result suggests, regarding to tensile property, that long-term - 20 degree C frozen cartilages corresponds to glycerolised costal cartilages irradiated with 25 kGy or deep-frozen cartilages irradiated with 25 and 50 kGy. Thus, this long-term frozen cartilages may be used for tissue banks, but more studies about effects of ionizing radiation are necessary. (author)

CARDIORENAL RELATIONS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEART FAILURE IN LONG TERM THERAPY WITH CARVEDILOL AND BISOPROLOL

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M. A. Statsenko

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To compare effects of long term therapy with сarvedilol and bisoprolol on heart and renal functions, heart rate variability (HRV and quality of life in elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF.Material and methods. We examined 40 patients aged 60-75 years on the 15-30 day after myocardial infarction complicated with CHF. All the patients taking basic therapy with enalapril, aspirin, simvastatin and diuretics were randomized to either bisoprolol (n=20 or сarvedilol (n=20 therapy group. The average daily doses were 5,7+0,8 mg for and 32,6+3,4 mg for carvedilol. The duration of the observation period was 12 months. Cardiac morphofunctional parameters, HRV, renal function and quality of life were determined at baseline, after 12 weeks and at the end of the study.Results. Complex therapy of CHF including both beta-blockers resulted in clinical improvement, increase in myocardial contractility. However, carvedilol group showed more pronounced increase in ejection fraction in comparison with bisoprolol group, 8,97% and 5,14%, respectively. Local contractility index decreased significantly only in carvedilol group by 29,9% (p<0,05. Carvedilol demonstrated more significant nephroprotective effects: glomerular filtration rate increased by 32,2%, renal functional reserve restored in 70% of patients. Tubular reabsorbtion, sodium clearance and excretion also increased in carvedilol group. After 12 month of treatment microalbuminuria reduced in both groups of patients, but more significant in carvedilol group. Carvedilol provided more strong blocking effect on sympathetic part of autonomic nervous system according to HRV data.Conclusion. In elderly patients with CHF long term therapy with both carvedilol and bisoprolol provided with improvement in clinical conditions and renal function, increased in HRV and was well tolerated. However, carvedilol compared with bisoprolol showed more significant beneficial effects on cardiac morphofunctional

Heart rate at discharge and long-term prognosis following percutaneous coronary intervention in stable and acute coronary syndromes--results from the BASKET PROVE trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Magnus Thorsten; Kaiser, Christoph; Sandsten, Karl Erik; Alber, Hannes; Wanitschek, Maria; Iversen, Allan; Jensen, Jan Skov; Pedersen, Sune; Soerensen, Rikke; Rickli, Hans; Zurek, Marzena; Fahrni, Gregor; Bertel, Osmund; De Servi, Stefano; Erne, Paul; Pfisterer, Matthias; Galatius, Søren

2013-10-09

Elevated heart rate (HR) is associated with mortality in a number of heart diseases. We examined the long-term prognostic significance of HR at discharge in a contemporary population of patients with stable angina (SAP), non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS), and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) revascularized with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients from the BASKET-PROVE trial, an 11-center randomized all-comers trial comparing bare-metal and drug-eluting stenting in large coronary vessels, were included. Discharge HR was determined from a resting ECG. Long-term outcomes (7 days to 2 years) were evaluated for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death and non-fatal myocardial infarction. A total of 2029 patients with sinus rhythm were included, 722 (35.6%) SAP, 647 (31.9%) NSTE-ACS, and 660 (32.5%) STEMI. Elevated discharge HR was associated significantly with all-cause mortality: when compared to a reference of 90 bpm. For cardiovascular death/myocardial infarction, a discharge HR >90 bpm was associated with a hazard ratio of 6.2 (2.5-15.5, pacute coronary syndromes an elevated discharge HR was independently associated with poor prognosis. Conversely, a HR <60 bpm at discharge was associated with a good long-term prognosis irrespective of indication for PCI. © 2013.

Long-Term Survival after Stroke: 30 Years of Follow-Up in a Cohort, the Copenhagen City Heart Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boysen, G.; Marott, J.L.; Gronbaek, M.

2009-01-01

in the Copenhagen City Heart Study who experienced a first-ever stroke from 1978 to the end of 2001 were followed to the end of 2007. Stroke events were validated using the World Health Organization's definition of stroke. Linkage to the Danish Civil Registration System enabled identification of participants who...... died before the end of 2007. The National Register of Causes of Death provided cause of death. Survival in stroke patients was compared with survival in participants in the Copenhagen City Heart Study who did not suffer a stroke, and with survival in the general Danish population. Cox regression......-stroke controls. Long-term survival improved steadily over time. Life expectancy after stroke increased up to 4 years from 1978 to the end of 2001, exceeding the increase of life expectancy in the general population. Slightly longer survival was found in women than in men when adjusted for age at stroke onset...

A Biobank for Long-term and Sustainable Research in the Field of Congenital Heart Disease in Germany

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Thomas Pickardt

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Congenital heart disease (CHD is the most frequent birth defect (0.8%–1% of all live births. Due to the advance in prenatal and postnatal early diagnosis and treatment, more than 90% of these patients survive into adulthood today. However, several mid- and long-term morbidities are dominating the follow-up of these patients. Due to the rarity and heterogeneity of the phenotypes of CHD, multicenter registry-based studies are required. The CHD-Biobank was established in 2009 with the aim to collect DNA from patients and their parents (trios or from affected families, as well as cardiovascular tissues from patients undergoing corrective heart surgery for cardiovascular malformations. Clinical/phenotype data are matched to the International Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Code (IPCCC and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10. The DNA collection currently comprises samples from approximately 4200 participants with a wide range of CHD phenotypes. The collection covers about 430 trios and 120 families with more than one affected member. The cardiac tissue collection comprises 1143 tissue samples from 556 patients after open heart surgery. The CHD-Biobank provides a comprehensive basis for research in the field of CHD with high standards of data privacy, IT management, and sample logistics.

HEart trAnsplantation Registry of piTie-Salpetriere University Hospital

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2018-01-08

Cardiac Transplant Disorder; Cardiac Death; Heart Failure; Acute Cellular Graft Rejection; Antibody-Mediated Graft Rejection; Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy; Heart Transplant Rejection; Immune Tolerance

Does nutritional intervention maintain its prognostic benefit in the long term for malnourished patients hospitalised for heart failure?

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Bonilla-Palomas, J L; Gámez-López, A L; Castillo-Domínguez, J C; Moreno-Conde, M; López-Ibáñez, M C; Anguita-Sánchez, M

2018-03-01

To assess the long-term effect of nutritional intervention on malnourished, hospitalised patients with heart failure (HF). A total of 120 malnourished patients hospitalized for HF were randomised to undergo (or not) an individual nutritional intervention for 6 months. The primary event was the combination of all-cause death and readmission for HF. We performed an intent-to-treat analysis and assessed the effect of the intervention at 24 months. The combined event occurred in 47.5% of the intervention group and in 73.8% of the control group (hazard ratio: 0.45; 95% confidence interval: 0.28-0.72; P=.001). Thirty-nine percent of the intervention group and 59% of the control group died (hazard ratio: 0.53; 95% confidence interval: 0.31-0.89; P=.017). A nutritional intervention for malnourished patients hospitalised for HF maintains its prognostic benefit in the long-term follow-up. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

Skin allografts in lethally irradiated animals repopulated with syngeneic hemopoietic cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwadron, R.B.

1983-01-01

Total body irradiation and repopulation with syngeneic hemopoietic cells can be used to induce tolerance to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) mismatched heart and kidney grafts in rats and mice. However, this protocol does not work for MHC mismatched skin grafts in rats or mice. Furthermore, LEW rats that accept WF cardiac allografts after irradiation and repopulation reject subsequent WF skin grafts. Treatment of skin allograft donors with methotrexate prior to grafting onto irradiated and reconstituted mice resulted in doubling of the mean survival time. Analysis of which antigens provoked skin graft rejection by irradiation and reconstituted animals revealed the importance of I region antigens. Cardiac allograft acceptance by irradiated and reconstituted animals is mediated by suppressor cells found in the spleen. Adoptively tolerant LEW rats accepted WF skin grafts in 50% of grafted animals. Analysis of this phenomenon revealed that the adoptive transfer procedure itself was important in achieving skin allograft acceptance by these animals. In general, it seems that the lack of ability of irradiated and reconstituted animals to accept fully MHC disparate skin grafts results from the inability of these animals to suppress lymph node effector cells against I region antigen seen on highly immunogenic allogeneic Langerhans cells in the skin

Gamma irradiation of isolated rat islets pretransplantation produces indefinite allograft survival in cyclosporine-treated recipients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, R.F.; Lake, S.P.; Chamberlain, J.; Thirdborough, S.; Bassett, P.D.; Mistry, N.; Bell, P.R.

1989-01-01

In this study we have examined the use of low-dose gamma-irradiation for the reduction of islet immunogenicity in the strong allogeneic combination of WAG rat islets transplanted into diabetic AUG recipients. First, we determined that gamma-irradiation reduced immunogenicity in vitro by use of a modified MLR with WAG islets as stimulators and AUG splenocytes as responders. We then determined the maximum dose of gamma-irradiation that could be used (250 rads) before islet function was affected. As 250 rads islet pretreatment alone was ineffective in prolonging allograft survival, we combined the pretreatment with a short course (days 0, 1, 2; 30 mg/kg) of cyclosporine. We found that CsA was only effective in significantly prolonging allograft survival when given subcutaneously in olive oil. The CsA treatment alone gave a significantly prolonged survival time for the islet allografts (median, 37 days vs. 6 days for controls), but when combined with the 250 rads islet pretreatment a synergistic effect was seen with 100% becoming long-term survivors (greater than 100 days). The long-term surviving AUG rats from both the CsA alone group and the CsA plus 250 rads pretreated islets group were challenged with WAG dendritic cells (DC). The islets from the 250 rads pretreated group were subsequently rejected (day 6) while the CsA alone group were not affected. The role of low dose gamma-irradiation when combined with CsA treatment of islet graft recipients in inducing specific unresponsiveness will be discussed

Gamma irradiation of isolated rat islets pretransplantation produces indefinite allograft survival in cyclosporine-treated recipients

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James, R.F.; Lake, S.P.; Chamberlain, J.; Thirdborough, S.; Bassett, P.D.; Mistry, N.; Bell, P.R.

1989-06-01

In this study we have examined the use of low-dose gamma-irradiation for the reduction of islet immunogenicity in the strong allogeneic combination of WAG rat islets transplanted into diabetic AUG recipients. First, we determined that gamma-irradiation reduced immunogenicity in vitro by use of a modified MLR with WAG islets as stimulators and AUG splenocytes as responders. We then determined the maximum dose of gamma-irradiation that could be used (250 rads) before islet function was affected. As 250 rads islet pretreatment alone was ineffective in prolonging allograft survival, we combined the pretreatment with a short course (days 0, 1, 2; 30 mg/kg) of cyclosporine. We found that CsA was only effective in significantly prolonging allograft survival when given subcutaneously in olive oil. The CsA treatment alone gave a significantly prolonged survival time for the islet allografts (median, 37 days vs. 6 days for controls), but when combined with the 250 rads islet pretreatment a synergistic effect was seen with 100% becoming long-term survivors (greater than 100 days). The long-term surviving AUG rats from both the CsA alone group and the CsA plus 250 rads pretreated islets group were challenged with WAG dendritic cells (DC). The islets from the 250 rads pretreated group were subsequently rejected (day 6) while the CsA alone group were not affected. The role of low dose gamma-irradiation when combined with CsA treatment of islet graft recipients in inducing specific unresponsiveness will be discussed.

Effects of low intensity pulsed ultrasound with and without increased cortical porosity on structural bone allograft incorporation

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Ehrhart Nicole

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Though used for over a century, structural bone allografts suffer from a high rate of mechanical failure due to limited graft revitalization even after extended periods in vivo. Novel strategies that aim to improve graft incorporation are lacking but necessary to improve the long-term clinical outcome of patients receiving bone allografts. The current study evaluated the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS, a potent exogenous biophysical stimulus used clinically to accelerate the course of fresh fracture healing, and longitudinal allograft perforations (LAP as non-invasive therapies to improve revitalization of intercalary allografts in a sheep model. Methods Fifteen skeletally-mature ewes were assigned to five experimental groups based on allograft type and treatment: +CTL, -CTL, LIPUS, LAP, LIPUS+LAP. The +CTL animals (n = 3 received a tibial ostectomy with immediate replacement of the resected autologous graft. The -CTL group (n = 3 received fresh frozen ovine tibial allografts. The +CTL and -CTL groups did not receive LAP or LIPUS treatments. The LIPUS treatment group (n = 3, following grafting with fresh frozen ovine tibial allografts, received ultrasound stimulation for 20 minutes/day, 5 days/week, for the duration of the healing period. The LAP treatment group (n = 3 received fresh frozen ovine allografts with 500 μm longitudinal perforations that extended 10 mm into the graft. The LIPUS+LAP treatment group (n = 3 received both LIPUS and LAP interventions. All animals were humanely euthanized four months following graft transplantation for biomechanical and histological analysis. Results After four months of healing, daily LIPUS stimulation of the host-allograft junctions, alone or in combination with LAP, resulted in 30% increases in reconstruction stiffness, paralleled by significant increases (p Conclusion The current study has demonstrated in a large animal model the potential of both LIPUS and LAP

Donor Specific Anti-HLA Antibodies with Antibody Mediated Rejection and Long-term Outcomes Following Heart Transplantation

Science.gov (United States)

Clerkin, Kevin J.; Farr, Maryjane A.; Restaino, Susan W.; Zorn, Emmanuel; Latif, Farhana; Vasilescu, Elena R.; Marboe, Charles C.; Colombo, Paolo C.; Mancini, Donna M.

2017-01-01

Introduction Donor specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) are common following heart transplantation and are associated with rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), and mortality. Currently a non-invasive diagnostic test for pathologic AMR (pAMR) does not exist. Methods 221 consecutive adult patients underwent heart transplantation from January 1st, 2010 through August 31th, 2013 and followed through October 1st, 2015. The primary objective was to determine whether the presence of DSA could detect AMR at the time of pathologic diagnosis. Secondary analyses included the association of DSA (stratified by MHC Class and de-novo status) during AMR with new graft dysfunction, graft loss (mortality or retransplantation), and development of CAV. Results During the study period 69 individual patients (31.2%) had DSA (24% had de-novo DSA) and there were 74 episodes of pAMR in 38 unique patients. The sensitivity of DSA at any MFI to detect concurrent pAMR was only 54.3%. The presence of any DSA during pAMR increased the odds of graft dysfunction (OR 5.37, 95% CI 1.34–21.47, p=0.018), adjusting for age, gender, and timing of AMR. Circulating Class II DSA after transplantation increased the risk of future pAMR (HR 2.97, 95% CI 1.31–6.73, p=0.009). Patients who developed de-novo Class II DSA had a 151% increase in risk of graft loss (contingent on 30-day survival) compared with those who did not have DSA (95% CI 1.11–5.69, p=0.027). Conclusions DSA were inadequate to diagnose pAMR, but Class II DSA provided prognostic information regarding future pAMR, graft dysfunction with pAMR, and graft loss. PMID:27916323

Allograft Pancreatectomy: Indications and Outcomes.

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Nagai, S; Powelson, J A; Taber, T E; Goble, M L; Mangus, R S; Fridell, J A

2015-09-01

This study evaluated the indications, surgical techniques, and outcomes of allograft pancreatectomy based on a single center experience. Between 2003 and 2013, 47 patients developed pancreas allograft failure, excluding mortality with a functioning pancreas allograft. Early graft loss (within 14 days) occurred in 16, and late graft loss in 31. All patients with early graft loss eventually required allograft pancreatectomy. Nineteen of 31 patients (61%) with late graft loss underwent allograft pancreatectomy. The main indication for early allograft pancreatectomy included vascular thrombosis with or without severe pancreatitis, whereas one recipient required urgent allograft pancreatectomy for gastrointestinal hemorrhage secondary to an arterioenteric fistula. In cases of late allograft pancreatectomy, graft failure with clinical symptoms such as abdominal discomfort, pain, and nausea were the main indications (13/19 [68%]), simultaneous retransplantation without clinical symptoms in 3 (16%), and vascular catastrophes including pseudoaneurysm and enteric arterial fistula in 3 (16%). Postoperative morbidity included one case each of pulmonary embolism leading to mortality, formation of pseudoaneurysm requiring placement of covered stent, and postoperative bleeding requiring relaparotomy eventually leading to femoro-femoral bypass surgery 2 years after allograftectomy. Allograft pancreatectomy can be performed safely, does not preclude subsequent retransplantation, and may be lifesaving in certain instances. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Induction of Foxp3-expressing regulatory T-cells by donor blood transfusion is required for tolerance to rat liver allografts.

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Yuta Abe

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Donor-specific blood transfusion (DST prior to solid organ transplantation has been shown to induce long-term allograft survival in the absence of immunosuppressive therapy. Although the mechanisms underlying DST-induced allograft tolerance are not well defined, there is evidence to suggest DST induces one or more populations of antigen-specific regulatory cells that suppress allograft rejection. However, neither the identity nor the regulatory properties of these tolerogenic lymphocytes have been reported. Therefore, the objective of this study was to define the kinetics, phenotype and suppressive function of the regulatory cells induced by DST alone or in combination with liver allograft transplantation (LTx. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Tolerance to Dark Agouti (DA; RT1(a rat liver allografts was induced by injection (iv of 1 ml of heparinized DA blood to naïve Lewis (LEW; RT1(l rats once per week for 4 weeks prior to LTx. We found that preoperative DST alone generates CD4(+ T-cells that when transferred into naïve LEW recipients are capable of suppressing DA liver allograft rejection and promoting long-term survival of the graft and recipient. However, these DST-generated T-cells did not express the regulatory T-cell (Treg transcription factor Foxp3 nor did they suppress alloantigen (DA-induced activation of LEW T-cells in vitro suggesting that these lymphocytes are not fully functional regulatory Tregs. We did observe that DST+LTx (but not DST alone induced the time-dependent formation of CD4(+Foxp3(+ Tregs that potently suppressed alloantigen-induced activation of naïve LEW T-cells in vitro and liver allograft rejection in vivo. Finally, we present data demonstrating that virtually all of the Foxp3-expressing Tregs reside within the CD4(+CD45RC(- population whereas in which approximately 50% of these Tregs express CD25. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that preoperative DST, in the absence of liver allograft

CT findings in ten patients with failed renal allografts: comparison with findings in functional grafts

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Gayer, Gabriela; Apter, Sara; Katz, Rama; Ben-David, Aharon; Katzir, Ze'ev; Hertz, Marjorie

2000-01-01

Our aim is to report the computed tomography (CT) features of the long-term failed renal allograft. Ten patients with failed renal transplants in whom the graft was left in situ underwent CT for various unrelated indications. The majority of the failed grafts showed marked shrinkage and coarse punctate diffuse parenchymal calcifications. Small cysts were seen in four grafts. A long-term failed renal transplant appeared on CT as a small rounded soft tissue mass. The graft was almost always heavily calcified. Lack of awareness of the nature of such a mass may mislead the radiologist in interpreting it as a space-occupying lesion

Relative reductions in soluble CD30 levels post-transplant predict acute graft function in islet allograft recipients receiving three different immunosuppression protocols.

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Hire, Kelly; Hering, Bernhard; Bansal-Pakala, Pratima

2010-08-01

Despite advances in islet transplantation, challenges remain in monitoring for anti-islet immune responses. Soluble CD30 (sCD30) has been investigated as a predictor of acute rejection in kidney, lung, and heart transplantation as well as in a single study in human islet cell recipients. In this study, sCD30 levels were retrospectively assessed in 19 allograft recipients treated with three different immunosuppression induction therapies. Soluble CD30 levels were assessed at pre-transplant; early post-transplant (day 4-day 7); one-month post-transplant; and late post-transplant (day 90-day 120) and then correlated with eventual graft outcomes at 1-year follow-up. Results showed no correlation between mean serum sCD30 levels at any point in time pre- or post-transplant and graft function at 1-year follow-up. However, analysis demonstrated that mean sCD30 levels at day 28 or day 90-day 120 decreased from pre-transplant levels in recipients with long-term islet allograft function compared to recipients with partial or non-graft function (a decrease of 43.6+/-25.6% compared to 16.7+/-35.2%, psCD30 levels post-transplant overall. A larger reduction post-transplant correlated with full graft function. The results demonstrate that a relative reduction in sCD30 levels post-transplant may be applicable as a biomarker to monitor graft function in islet allograft recipients. Additionally, knowledge of the impact of various immunosuppression protocols on the timing and extent of changes in post-transplant sCD30 levels could aid in patient-specific tailoring of immunosuppression. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pre- and Posttransplant IgA Anti-Fab Antibodies to Predict Long-term Kidney Graft Survival.

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Amirzargar, M A; Amirzargar, A; Basiri, A; Hajilooi, M; Roshanaei, G; Rajabi, G; Solgi, G

2015-05-01

Immunologic factors are reliable markers for allograft monitoring, because of their seminal role in rejection process. One of these factors is the immunoglobulin (Ig)A anti-Fab of the IgG antibody. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of pre- and posttransplant levels of this marker for kidney allograft function and survival. Sera samples of 59 living unrelated donor kidney recipients were collected before and after transplantation (days 7, 14, and 30) and investigated for IgA anti-Fab of IgG antibody levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in relation with allograft outcome. Among 59 patients, 15 cases (25%) including 10 with acute rejection and 5 with chronic rejection episodes showed graft failure during a mean of 5 years of follow-up. High posttransplant levels of IgA anti-Fab antibodies were observed more frequently in patients with stable graft function (SGF) compared with patients with graft failure (P = 2 × 10(-6)). None of patients with acute or chronic rejection episodes had high levels of IgA anti-Fab antibodies at day 30 posttransplant compared with the SGF group (P = 10(-6) and P = .01, respectively). In addition, high levels of IgA anti-Fab antibody correlated with lesser concentration of serum creatinine at 1 month posttransplantation (P = .01). Five-year graft survival was associated with high levels of pre- and posttransplant IgA anti-Fab antibodies (P = .02 and P = .003, respectively). Our findings indicate the protective effect of higher levels of IgA anti-Fab antibodies regarding to kidney allograft outcomes and long-term graft survival. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of allografts in spinal surgery

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Aziz Nather

1999-01-01

With development of more tissue banks in the region and internationally, allografts are increasingly being used in orthopaedic surgery including spinal surgery. Two groups of patients will particularly benefit from the use of allografts. The first group is young children in whom iliac crest is cartilaginous and cannot provide sufficient quantity of autografts. The second is the elderly where bones from iliac crest are porotic and fatty. Allografts are used to fulfill two distinct functions in Spinal Surgery. One is to act as a buttress for anterior spinal surgery using cortical allografts. The other is to enhance fusion for posterior spinal surgery. Up to December 1997, 71 transplantations have been performed using allografts from NUH Tissue Bank. Anterior Spinal Surgery has been performed in 15 cases. The indications are mainly Trauma-Burst Fractures and Spinal Secondaries to the Spine. All cases are in thoracic and thoracolumbar region. Allografts used are deep frozen and freeze-dried cortical allografts. Femur is used for thoraco-lumbar region and humerus for upper thoracic region. Instrumentation used ranged from anterior devices (Canada, DCP, Synergy etc) to posterior devices (ISOLA). Deep frozen allografts and more recently freeze-dried allografts are preferred especially for osteoporotic spines. Cortical allografts are packed with autografts from ribs in the medullary canal. Allograft-autograft composites are always used to ensure better incorporation. Postero-lateral fusion has been performed for 56 cases. The indications include congenital and idiopathic scoliosis, degenerative stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis, spondylolytic spondylolisthesis, fracture-dislocation, osteoporotic burst fracture, spinal secondaries with cord compression and traumatic spondylolisthesis. Deep frozen bone allografts are used in combination with patient's own autografts from spinous processes to provide a 50% mix. Instrumentation used include Hartshill, Steffee, Isola

Impact of Leukocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 Blockade on Endogenous Allospecific T Cells to Multiple Minor Histocompatibility Antigen Mismatched Cardiac Allograft.

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Kwun, Jean; Farris, Alton B; Song, Hyunjin; Mahle, William T; Burlingham, William J; Knechtle, Stuart J

2015-12-01

Blocking leukocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 in organ transplant recipients prolongs allograft survival. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the therapeutic potential of LFA-1 blockade in preventing chronic rejection are not fully elucidated. Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is the preeminent cause of late cardiac allograft failure characterized histologically by concentric intimal hyperplasia. Anti-LFA-1 monoclonal antibody was used in a multiple minor antigen-mismatched, BALB.B (H-2B) to C57BL/6 (H-2B), cardiac allograft model. Endogenous donor-specific CD8 T cells were tracked down using major histocompatibility complex multimers against the immunodominant H4, H7, H13, H28, and H60 minor Ags. The LFA-1 blockade prevented acute rejection and preserved palpable beating quality with reduced CD8 T-cell graft infiltration. Interestingly, less CD8 T cell infiltration was secondary to reduction of T-cell expansion rather than less trafficking. The LFA-1 blockade significantly suppressed the clonal expansion of minor histocompatibility antigen-specific CD8 T cells during the expansion and contraction phase. The CAV development was evaluated with morphometric analysis at postoperation day 100. The LFA-1 blockade profoundly attenuated neointimal hyperplasia (61.6 vs 23.8%; P < 0.05), CAV-affected vessel number (55.3 vs 15.9%; P < 0.05), and myocardial fibrosis (grade 3.29 vs 1.8; P < 0.05). Finally, short-term LFA-1 blockade promoted long-term donor-specific regulation, which resulted in attenuated transplant arteriosclerosis. Taken together, LFA-1 blockade inhibits initial endogenous alloreactive T-cell expansion and induces more regulation. Such a mechanism supports a pulse tolerance induction strategy with anti-LFA-1 rather than long-term treatment.

The roles of self-efficacy and motivation in the prediction of short- and long-term adherence to exercise among patients with coronary heart disease.

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Slovinec D'Angelo, Monika E; Pelletier, Luc G; Reid, Robert D; Huta, Veronika

2014-11-01

Poor adherence to regular exercise is a documented challenge among people with heart disease. Identifying key determinants of exercise adherence and distinguishing between the processes driving short- and long-term adherence to regular exercise is a valuable endeavor. The purpose of the present study was to test a model of exercise behavior change, which incorporates motivational orientations and self-efficacy for exercise behavior, in the prediction of short- and long-term exercise adherence. Male and female patients (N = 801) hospitalized for coronary heart disease were recruited from 3 tertiary care cardiac centers and followed for a period of 1 year after hospital discharge. A prospective, longitudinal design was used to examine the roles of motivation and self-efficacy (measured at recruitment and at 2 and 6 months after discharge) in the prediction of exercise behavior at 6 and 12 months. Baseline measures of exercise and clinical and demographic covariates were included in the analyses. Structural equation modeling showed that both autonomous motivation and self-efficacy were important determinants of short-term (6-month) exercise behavior regulation, but that only autonomous motivation remained a significant predictor of long-term (12-month) exercise behavior. Self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between motivation for exercise and 6-month exercise behavior. This research confirmed the roles of autonomous motivation and self-efficacy in the health behavior change process and emphasized the key function of autonomous motivation in exercise maintenance. Theoretical and cardiac rehabilitation program applications of this research are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Heart transplantation and arterial elasticity

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Colvin-Adams M

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Monica Colvin-Adams,1 Nonyelum Harcourt,1 Robert LeDuc,2 Ganesh Raveendran,1 Yassir Sonbol,3 Robert Wilson,1 Daniel Duprez11Cardiovascular Division, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; 2Division of Biostatistics University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; 3Cardiovascular Division, St Luke's Hospital System, Sugar Land, TX, USAObjective: Arterial elasticity is a functional biomarker that has predictive value for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in nontransplant populations. There is little information regarding arterial elasticity in heart transplant recipients. This study aimed to characterize small (SAE and large (LAE artery elasticity in heart transplant recipients in comparison with an asymptomatic population free of overt cardiovascular disease. A second goal was to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with arterial elasticity in this unique population.Methods: Arterial pulse waveform was registered noninvasively at the radial artery in 71 heart transplant recipients between 2008 and 2010. SAEs and LAEs were derived from diastolic pulse contour analysis. Comparisons were made to a healthy cohort of 1,808 participants selected from our prevention clinic database. Multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between risk factors and SAE and LAE within the heart transplant recipients.Results: LAE and SAE were significantly lower in heart transplant recipients than in the normal cohort (P <0.01 and P < 0.0001, respectively. Female sex and history of ischemic cardiomyopathy were significantly associated with reduced LAE and SAE. Older age and the presence of moderate cardiac allograft vasculopathy were also significantly associated with reduced SAE. Transplant duration was associated with increased SAE.Conclusion: Heart transplants are associated with peripheral endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness, as demonstrated by a significant reduction in SAE and LAE when compared with a

A Combined Syntactical and Statistical Approach for R Peak Detection in Real-Time Long-Term Heart Rate Variability Analysis

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David Pang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Long-term heart rate variability (HRV analysis is useful as a noninvasive technique for autonomic nervous system activity assessment. It provides a method for assessing many physiological and pathological factors that modulate the normal heartbeat. The performance of HRV analysis systems heavily depends on a reliable and accurate detection of the R peak of the QRS complex. Ectopic beats caused by misdetection or arrhythmic events can introduce bias into HRV results, resulting in significant problems in their interpretation. This study presents a novel method for long-term detection of normal R peaks (which represent the normal heartbeat in electrocardiographic signals, intended specifically for HRV analysis. The very low computational complexity of the proposed method, which combines and exploits the advantages of syntactical and statistical approaches, enables real-time applications. The approach was validated using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology–Beth Israel Hospital Normal Sinus Rhythm and the Fantasia database, and has a sensitivity, positive predictivity, detection error rate, and accuracy of 99.998, 99.999, 0.003, and 99.996%, respectively.

Pretransplant Immune- and Apoptosis-Related Gene Expression Is Associated with Kidney Allograft Function

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Dorota Kamińska

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Renal transplant candidates present immune dysregulation, caused by chronic uremia. The aim of the study was to investigate whether pretransplant peripheral blood gene expression of immune factors affects clinical outcome of renal allograft recipients. Methods. In a prospective study, we analyzed pretransplant peripheral blood gene expression in87 renal transplant candidates with real-time PCR on custom-designed low density arrays (TaqMan. Results. Immediate posttransplant graft function (14-day GFR was influenced negatively by TGFB1 (P=0.039 and positively by IL-2 gene expression (P=0.040. Pretransplant blood mRNA expression of apoptosis-related genes (CASP3, FAS, and IL-18 and Th1-derived cytokine gene IFNG correlated positively with short- (6-month GFR CASP3: P=0.027, FAS: P=0.021, and IFNG: P=0.029 and long-term graft function (24-month GFR CASP3: P=0.003, FAS: P=0.033, IL-18: P=0.044, and IFNG: P=0.04. Conclusion. Lowered pretransplant Th1-derived cytokine and apoptosis-related gene expressions were a hallmark of subsequent worse kidney function but not of acute rejection rate. The pretransplant IFNG and CASP3 and FAS and IL-18 genes’ expression in the recipients’ peripheral blood is the possible candidate for novel biomarker of short- and long-term allograft function.

Osteochondral allograft.

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Torrie, Arissa M; Kesler, William W; Elkin, Joshua; Gallo, Robert A

2015-12-01

Over the past decade, osteochondral allograft transplantation has soared in popularity. Advances in storage techniques have demonstrated improved chondrocyte viability at longer intervals and allowed for potential of increased graft availability. Recent studies have stratified outcomes according to location and etiology of the chondral or osteochondral defect. Unipolar lesions generally have favorable outcomes with promising 10-year survival rates. Though those undergoing osteochondral allograft transplantation often require reoperation, patient satisfaction remains high.

Induction of MHC-mismatched Mouse Lung Allograft Acceptance with Combined Donor Bone Marrow: Lung Transplant using a 12-Hour Nonmyeloablative Conditioning Regimen

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Vulic, Ante; Panoskaltsis-Mortari, Angela; McDyer, John F.; Luznik, Leo

2016-01-01

Background Despite broad and intense conventional immunosuppression, long-term survival after lung transplantation lags behind that for other solid organ transplants, primarily because of allograft rejection. Therefore, new strategies to promote lung allograft acceptance are urgently needed. The purpose of the present study was to induce allograft tolerance with a protocol compatible with deceased donor organ utilization. Methods Using the MHC-mismatched mouse orthotopic lung transplant model, we investigated a conditioning regimen consisting of pretransplant T cell depletion, low dose total body irradiation and posttransplant (donor) bone marrow and splenocyte infusion followed by posttransplantation cyclophosphamide (PTTT-PTB/PTCy). Results Our results show that C57BL/6 recipients of BALB/c lung allografts undergoing this complete short-duration nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen had durable lung allograft acceptance. Mice that lacked 1 or more components of this regimen exhibited significant graft loss. Mechanistically, animals with lung allograft acceptance had established higher levels of donor chimerism, lymphocyte responses which were attenuated to donor antigens but maintained to third-party antigens, and clonal deletion of donor-reactive host Vβ T cells. Frequencies of Foxp3+ T regulatory cells were comparable in both surviving and rejected allografts implying that their perturbation was not a dominant cell-regulatory mechanism. Donor chimerism was indispensable for sustained tolerance, as evidenced by acute rejection of allografts in established chimeric recipients of PTTT-PTB/PTCy following a chimerism-ablating secondary recipient lymphocyte infusion. Conclusion Together, these data provide proof-of-concept for establishing lung allograft tolerance with tandem donor bone marrow transplantation (BMT) using a short-duration nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen and PTCy. PMID:27861294

Management and Long-Term Outcome of Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Presenting with Heart Failure in a Contemporary New Zealand Cohort (ANZACS-QI 4).

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Kueh, Shaw Hua Anthony; Devlin, Gerry; Lee, Mildred; Doughty, Rob N; Kerr, Andrew J

2016-08-01

Acute heart failure (HF) associated with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) predicts adverse outcome. There have been important recent improvements in ACS management. Our aim was to describe the management and outcomes in those with and without HF in a contemporary ACS cohort. Consecutive patients presenting with ACS between 2007 and 2011 were enrolled in the All New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndrome Quality Improvement (ANZACS-QI) registry. Outcomes and medication dispensing were obtained using anonymised linkage to national data sets. A summary pharmacotherapy measure of "quadruple therapy" was defined as dispensing of at least one agent from each of the four evidence-based classes - anti-platelet, statin, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker and beta blocker. Of 3743 ACS patients 14% had acute HF. Acute heart failure patients were older (69.2±12.6 vs 62.3±12.8 years, pcoronary angiography (66% vs 86%, pAcute heart failure complicating ACS is associated with heightened risk of short-term and long-term mortality. One in three ACS patients with HF did not have coronary angiography and less than half received quadruple therapy a year after presentation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cardiac damage after treatment of childhood cancer: A long-term follow-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velensek, Veronika; Mazic, Uros; Krzisnik, Ciril; Demšar, Damjan; Jazbec, Janez; Jereb, Berta

2008-01-01

With improved childhood cancer cure rate, long term sequelae are becoming an important factor of quality of life. Signs of cardiovascular disease are frequently found in long term survivors of cancer. Cardiac damage may be related to irradiation and chemotherapy. We have evaluated simultaneous influence of a series of independent variables on the late cardiac damage in childhood cancer survivors in Slovenia and identified groups at the highest risk. 211 long-term survivors of different childhood cancers, at least five years after treatment were included in the study. The evaluation included history, physical examination, electrocardiograpy, exercise testing and echocardiograpy. For analysis of risk factors, beside univariate analysis, multivariate classification tree analysis statistical method was used. Patients treated latest, from 1989–98 are at highest risk for any injury to the heart (73%). Among those treated earlier are at the highest risk those with Hodgkin's disease treated with irradiation above 30 Gy and those treated for sarcoma. Among specific forms of injury, patients treated with radiation to the heart area are at highest risk of injury to the valves. Patients treated with large doses of anthracyclines or concomitantly with anthracyclines and alkylating agents are at highest risk of systolic function defect and enlarged heart chambers. Those treated with anthracyclines are at highest risk of diastolic function defect. The time period of the patient's treatment is emerged as an important risk factor for injury of the heart

Heart transplantation in adults with congenital heart disease.

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Houyel, Lucile; To-Dumortier, Ngoc-Tram; Lepers, Yannick; Petit, Jérôme; Roussin, Régine; Ly, Mohamed; Lebret, Emmanuel; Fadel, Elie; Hörer, Jürgen; Hascoët, Sébastien

2017-05-01

With the advances in congenital cardiac surgery and postoperative care, an increasing number of children with complex congenital heart disease now reach adulthood. There are already more adults than children living with a congenital heart defect, including patients with complex congenital heart defects. Among these adults with congenital heart disease, a significant number will develop ventricular dysfunction over time. Heart failure accounts for 26-42% of deaths in adults with congenital heart defects. Heart transplantation, or heart-lung transplantation in Eisenmenger syndrome, then becomes the ultimate therapeutic possibility for these patients. This population is deemed to be at high risk of mortality after heart transplantation, although their long-term survival is similar to that of patients transplanted for other reasons. Indeed, heart transplantation in adults with congenital heart disease is often challenging, because of several potential problems: complex cardiac and vascular anatomy, multiple previous palliative and corrective surgeries, and effects on other organs (kidney, liver, lungs) of long-standing cardiac dysfunction or cyanosis, with frequent elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance. In this review, we focus on the specific problems relating to heart and heart-lung transplantation in this population, revisit the indications/contraindications, and update the long-term outcomes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Heart Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support in Patients With Advanced Heart Failure.

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Sánchez-Enrique, Cristina; Jorde, Ulrich P; González-Costello, José

2017-05-01

Patients with advanced heart failure have a poor prognosis and heart transplant is still the best treatment option. However, the scarcity of donors, long waiting times, and an increasing number of unstable patients have favored the development of mechanical circulatory support. This review summarizes the indications for heart transplant, candidate evaluation, current immunosuppression strategies, the evaluation and treatment of rejection, infectious prophylaxis, and short and long-term outcomes. Regarding mechanical circulatory support, we distinguish between short- and long-term support and the distinct strategies that can be used: bridge to decision, recovery, candidacy, transplant, and destination therapy. We then discuss indications, risk assessment, management of complications, especially with long-term support, and outcomes. Finally, we discuss future challenges and how the widespread use of long-term support for patients with advanced heart failure will only be viable if their complications and costs are reduced. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Nerve stepping stone has minimal impact in aiding regeneration across long acellular nerve allografts.

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Yan, Ying; Hunter, Daniel A; Schellhardt, Lauren; Ee, Xueping; Snyder-Warwick, Alison K; Moore, Amy M; Mackinnon, Susan E; Wood, Matthew D

2018-02-01

Acellular nerve allografts (ANAs) yield less consistent favorable outcomes compared with autografts for long gap reconstructions. We evaluated whether a hybrid ANA can improve 6-cm gap reconstruction. Rat sciatic nerve was transected and repaired with either 6-cm hybrid or control ANAs. Hybrid ANAs were generated using a 1-cm cellular isograft between 2.5-cm ANAs, whereas control ANAs had no isograft. Outcomes were assessed by graft gene and marker expression (n = 4; at 4 weeks) and motor recovery and nerve histology (n = 10; at 20 weeks). Hybrid ANAs modified graft gene and marker expression and promoted modest axon regeneration across the 6-cm defect compared with control ANA (P nerve gaps with autografts. Muscle Nerve 57: 260-267, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

International Heart Valve Bank Survey: A Review of Processing Practices and Activity Outcomes

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Albrecht, Helmi; Lim, Yeong Phang; Manning, Linda

2013-01-01

A survey of 24 international heart valve banks was conducted to acquire information on heart valve processing techniques used and outcomes achieved. The objective was to provide an overview of heart valve banking activities for tissue bankers, tissue banking associations, and regulatory bodies worldwide. Despite similarities found for basic manufacturing processes, distinct differences in procedural details were also identified. The similarities included (1) use of sterile culture media for procedures, (2) antibiotic decontamination, (3) use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a cryoprotectant, (4) controlled rate freezing for cryopreservation, and (5) storage at ultralow temperatures of below −135°C. Differences in procedures included (1) type of sterile media used, (2) antibiotics combination, (3) temperature and duration used for bioburden reduction, (4) concentration of DMSO used for cryopreservation, and (5) storage duration for released allografts. For most banks, the primary reasons why allografts failed to meet release criteria were positive microbiological culture and abnormal morphology. On average, 85% of allografts meeting release criteria were implanted, with valve size and type being the main reasons why released allografts were not used clinically. The wide variation in percentage of allografts meeting release requirements, despite undergoing validated manufacturing procedures, justifies the need for regular review of important outcomes as cited in this paper, in order to encourage comparison and improvements in the HVBs' processes. PMID:24163756

Music exposure induced prolongation of cardiac allograft survival and generated regulatory CD4⁺ cells in mice.

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Uchiyama, M; Jin, X; Zhang, Q; Amano, A; Watanabe, T; Niimi, M

2012-05-01

In clinical practice, music has been used to decrease stress, heart rate, and blood pressure and to provide a distraction from disease symptoms. We investigated sound effects on alloimmune responses in murine heart transplantation. Naïve and eardrum-ruptured CBA/N (CBA, H2(K)) underwent transplantation of a C57BL/6 (B6, H2(b)) heart and were exposed to 1 of 3 types of music-opera (La Traviata), classical (Mozart), and New Age (Enya)-or 1 of 6 different single sound frequencies for 7 days. An adoptive transfer study was performed to determine whether regulatory cells were generated in allograft recipients. Cell-proliferation, cytokine, and flow cytometry assessments were also performed. CBA recipients of a B6 graft exposed to opera and classical music had significantly prolonged allograft survival (median survival times [MSTs], 26.5 and 20 days, respectively), whereas those exposed to 6 single sound frequencies and New Age did not (MSTs, 7, 8, 9, 8, 8, 8, and 11 days, respectively). Untreated and eardrum-ruptured CBA rejected B6 grafts acutely (MSTs, 7 and 8.5 days, respectively). Adoptive transfer of whole splenocytes, CD4(+) cells, and CD4(+)CD25(+) cells from opera-exposed primary recipients resulted in significantly prolonged allograft survival in naive secondary recipients (MSTs, 36, 68, and >50 days, respectively). Cell-proliferation, interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon-γ were suppressed in opera-exposed mice, whereas IL-4 and IL-10 from opera-exposed recipients were up-regulated. Flow cytometry studies showed an increased CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) cell population in splenocytes from opera-exposed mice. In conclusion, exposure to some types of music may induce prolonged survival of fully allogeneic cardiac allografts and generate CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory cells. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of polyreactive innate clones among graft--infiltrating B cells in human cardiac allograft vasculopathy.

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Chatterjee, Debanjana; Moore, Carolina; Gao, Baoshan; Clerkin, Kevin J; See, Sarah B; Shaked, David; Rogers, Kortney; Nunez, Sarah; Veras, Yokarla; Addonizio, Linda; Givertz, Michael M; Naka, Yoshifumi; Mancini, Donna; Vasilescu, Rodica; Marboe, Charles; Restaino, Susan; Madsen, Joren C; Zorn, Emmanuel

2018-03-01

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) has been associated with graft-infiltrating B cells, although their characteristics are still unclear. In this study we examined the frequency, localization and reactivity profile of graft-infiltrating B cells to determine their contribution to the pathophysiology of CAV. B cells, plasma cells and macrophages were examined by immunohistochemistry in 56 allografts with CAV, 49 native failed hearts and 25 autopsy specimens. A total of 102 B-cell clones were immortalized directly from the infiltrates of 3 fresh cardiac samples with CAV. Their secreted antibodies were assessed using enzyme-linked immunoassay and flow cytometry. B-cell infiltration was observed around coronary arteries in 93% of allograft explants with CAV. Comparatively, intragraft B cells were less frequent and less dense in the intraventricular myocardium from where routine biopsies are obtained. Plasma cells and macrophages were also detected in 85% and 95% of explants, respectively. Remarkably, B-cell infiltrates were not associated with circulating donor-specific antibodies (DSA) or prior episodes of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Among all B-cell clones generated from 3 explants with CAV, a majority secreted natural antibodies reactive to multiple autoantigens and apoptotic cells, a characteristic of innate B cells. Our study reveals a high frequency of infiltrating B cells around the coronary arteries of allografts with CAV, independent of DSA or AMR. These cells are enriched for innate B cells with a polyreactive profile. The findings shift the focus from conventional DSA-producing B cells to the potentially pathogenic polyreactive B cells in the development of clinical CAV. Copyright © 2018 International Society for the Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shoshin Beriberi Induced by Long-Term Administration of Diuretics: A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naoki Misumida

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have suggested that diuretic therapy for heart failure may lead to thiamine deficiency due to the increased urinary thiamine excretion. Herein, we present the case of a 61-year-old man with shoshin beriberi, a fulminant form of wet beriberi, induced by long-term diuretic therapy. The patient had a history of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and was receiving furosemide and trichlormethiazide therapy. He presented with worsening exertional dyspnea and was admitted for heart failure exacerbation. His condition failed to improve even after intensive treatment. A hemodynamic evaluation with the Swan-Ganz catheter revealed high-output heart failure with low peripheral vascular resistance. Thiamine was administered for suspected shoshin beriberi; his hemodynamic status improved dramatically within the next six hours. The serum thiamine level was below the normal range; the patient was therefore diagnosed with shoshin beriberi. The common causes of thiamine deficiency were not identified. Long-term diuretic therapy with furosemide and thiazide was thought to have played a major role in the development of thiamine deficiency. This case illustrates the importance of considering wet beriberi as a possible cause of heart failure exacerbation in patients taking diuretics, even when the common thiamine deficiency causes are not identified with history-taking.

An Update on Cardiac Transplantation in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Everly, Matthew J

2014-01-01

Heart transplantation in the United States remains an important option for those with heart failure. Survival rates over the last 25 years have improved with the advent of newer immunosuppressive agents, innovation, and a better understanding of managing risk. However, many patients continue to experience allograft failure after transplantation. Innovations in modalities to reduce acute and chronic rejection are needed to improve the long-term success of heart transplantation.

Long-term Follow-up of Revision Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation of the Ankle.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaul, Florian; Tírico, Luís E P; McCauley, Julie C; Bugbee, William D

2018-05-01

Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation is a useful alternative for treatment of posttraumatic ankle arthritis in young patients but has a relatively high failure rate and further procedures are often required. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of patients who underwent revision OCA transplantation of the ankle after failed primary OCA transplantation. Twenty patients underwent revision OCA transplantation of the ankle between 1988 and 2015. Mean age was 44 years, 55% (11 of 20) were female. The mean time from primary to revision OCA was 3.0 ± 1.7 years. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Outcomes included the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Foot and Ankle Module (AAOS-FAM) and questionnaires evaluating pain and satisfaction. Failure of the revision OCA was defined as a conversion to arthroplasty, arthrodesis, or amputation. Ten of 20 ankles required further surgery, of which 30% (6 of 20) were considered OCA revision failures (4 arthrodeses, 1 arthroplasty, and 1 amputation). The mean time to failure was 6.7 (range, 0.6-13.1) years. Survivorship of the revision OCA was 84% at 5 years and 65% at 10 years. The 14 patients with grafts remaining in situ had an average follow-up of 10.3 years; mean AAOS-FAM Core Score was 70.5 (range, 42.3-99). Of the patients who answered the follow-up questions, 4 of 7 reported moderate to severe pain, and 5 of 12 were satisfied with the results of the procedure. Although the results of revision ankle OCA transplantation are not inferior to primary OCA transplantation, the high rates of persistent pain, further surgery, and graft failure suggest that the indications for OCA as a revision procedure should be carefully evaluated, with proper patient selection. Considering the treatment alternatives, revising a failed OCA transplantation can be a useful treatment option, especially for young and active patients who wish to avoid arthrodesis or arthroplasty. Level IV, case series.

Injury to Allografts: innate immune pathways to acute and chronic rejection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Land, W. G.

2005-01-01

An emerging body of evidence suggests that innate immunity, as the first line of host defense against invading pathogens or their components [pathogen-associated molecular patterns, (PAMPs)], plays also a critical role in acute and chronic allograft rejection. Injury to the donor organ induces an inflammatory milieu in the allograft, which appears to be the initial key event for activation of the innate immune system. Injury-induced generation of putative endogenous molecular ligand, in terms of damaged/danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) such as heat shock proteins, are recognized by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), a family of pattern recognition receptors on cells of innate immunity. Acute allograft injury (e.g. oxidative stress during donor brain-death condition, post-ischemic reperfusion injury in the recipient) includes DAMPs which may interact with, and activate, innate TLR-bearing dendritic cells (DCs) which, in turn, via direct allo-recognition through donor-derived DCs and indirect allo-recogntion through recipient-derived DCs, initiate the recipient's adaptive alloimmune response leading to acute allograft rejection. Chronic injurious events in the allograft (e.g. hypertension, hyperlipidemia, CMV infection, administration of cell-toxic drugs [calcineurin-inhibitors]) induce the generation of D AMPs , which may interact with and activate innate TLR-bearing vascular cells (endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells) which, in turn, contribute to the development of atherosclerosis of donor organ vessels (alloatherosclerosis), thus promoting chronic allograft rejection. (author)

Expression of GSK-3β in renal allograft tissue and its significance in pathogenesis of chronic allograft dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Qiang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective To explore the expression of Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β in renal allograft tissue and its significance in the pathogenesis of chronic allograft dysfunction. Methods Renal allograft biopsy was performed in all of the renal allograft recipients with proteinuria or increased serum creatinine level who came into our hospital from January 2007 to December 2009. Among them 28 cases was diagnosed as chronic allograft dysfunction based on pahtological observation, including 21 males with a mean age of 45 ± 10 years old and 7 females with a mean age of 42 ± 9 years old. The time from kidney transplantation to biopsy were 1-9 (3.5 years. Their serum creatinine level were 206 ± 122 umol/L. Immunohistochemical assay and computer-assisted genuine color image analysis system (imagepro-plus 6.0 were used to detect the expression of GSK-3β in the renal allografts of 28 cases of recipients with chronic allograft dysfunction. Mean area and mean integrated optical density of GSK-3β expression were calculated. The relationship between expression level of GSK-3β and either the grade of inflammatory cell infiltration or interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy in renal allograft was analyzed. Five specimens of healthy renal tissue were used as controls. Results The expression level of the GSK-3β was significantly increased in the renal allograft tissue of recipients with chronic allograft dysfunction, compared to normal renal tissues, and GSK-3β expression became stronger along with the increasing of the grade of either inflammatory cell infiltration or interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy in renal allograft tissue. Conclusion There might be a positive correlation between either inflammatory cell infiltration or interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy and high GSK-3β expression in renal allograft tissue. Virtual slides The virtual slide(s for this article can be found here: http

Short-term Prediction of Coronary Heart Disease Mortality in the Czech Republic Based on Data from 1968-2014.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Reissigová, Jindra; Zvolský, M.

2018-01-01

Roč. 26, č. 1 (2018), s. 10-15 ISSN 1210-7778 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : mortality * coronary heart diseases * short-term prediction * long-term prediction * national health registries Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research OBOR OECD: Applied mathematics Impact factor: 0.682, year: 2016 https://cejph.szu.cz/artkey/cjp-201801-0002_short-term-prediction-of-coronary- heart -disease-mortality-in-the-czech-republic-based-on-data-from-1968-2014.php

Furosemide Prescription During the Dry State Is a Predictor of Long-Term Survival of Stable, Optimally Medicated Patients With Systolic Heart Failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Sargento, Luis; Simões, Andre Vicente; Longo, Susana; Lousada, Nuno; Reis, Roberto Palma Dos

2017-05-01

Furosemide is associated with poor prognosis in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). To evaluate the association between daily furosemide dose prescribed during the dry state and long-term survival in stable, optimally medicated outpatients with HFrEF. Two hundred sixty-six consecutive outpatients with left ventricular ejection fraction failure therapy, were followed up for 3 years in a heart failure unit. The end point was all-cause death. There were no changes in New York Heart Association class and therapeutics, including diuretics, and no decompensation or hospitalization during 6 months. Furosemide doses were categorized as low or none (0-40 mg/d), intermediate (41-80 mg/d), and high (>80 mg). Cox regression was adjusted for significant confounders. The 3-year mortality rate was 33.8%. Mean dose of furosemide was 57.3 ± 21.4 mg/d. A total of 47.6% of patients received the low dose, 42.1% the intermediate dose, and 2.3% the high dose. Receiver operating characteristics for death associated with furosemide dose showed an area under the curve of 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.68-0.79; P 40 mg/d. An increasing daily dose of furosemide was associated with worse prognosis. Those receiving the intermediate dose (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.1; 95% CI: 2.57-6.64; P 40 mg/d, in a propensity score-matched cohort, had a greater risk of mortality than those receiving a low dose (HR = 4.02; 95% CI: 1.8-8.8; P = .001) and those not receiving furosemide (HR = 3.9; 95% CI: 0.07-14.2; P = .039). Furosemide administration during the dry state in stable, optimally medicated outpatients with HFrEF is unfavorably associated with long-term survival. The threshold dose was 40 mg/d.

Islet Transplantation in Type 1 Diabetes: Ongoing Challenges, Refined Procedures, and Long-Term Outcome

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, A.M. James

2012-01-01

Remarkable progress has been made in islet transplantation over a span of 40 years. Once just an experimental curiosity in mice, this therapy has moved forward, and can now provide robust therapy for highly selected patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), refractory to stabilization by other means. This progress could not have occurred without extensive dynamic international collaboration. Currently, 1,085 patients have undergone islet transplantation at 40 international sites since the Edmonton Protocol was reported in 2000 (752 allografts, 333 autografts), according to the Collaborative Islet Transplant Registry. The long-term results of islet transplantation in selected centers now match registry data of pancreas-alone transplantation, with 6 sites reporting five-year insulin independence rates ≥50%. Islet transplantation has been criticized for the use of multiple donor pancreas organs, but progress has also occurred in single-donor success, with 10 sites reporting increased single-donor engraftment. The next wave of innovative clinical trial interventions will address instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR), apoptosis, and inflammation, and will translate into further marked improvements in single-donor success. Effective control of auto- and alloimmunity is the key to long-term islet function, and high-resolution cellular and antibody-based assays will add considerable precision to this process. Advances in immunosuppression, with new antibody-based targeting of costimulatory blockade and other T-B cellular signaling, will have further profound impact on the safety record of immunotherapy. Clinical trials will move forward shortly to test out new human stem cell derived islets, and in parallel trials will move forward, testing pig islets for compatibility in patients. Induction of immunological tolerance to self-islet antigens and to allografts is a difficult challenge, but potentially within our grasp. PMID:23804275

Transplant tolerance: a new role for IL-34

OpenAIRE

Kim, James I.; Turka, Laurence A.

2015-01-01

Immune-suppressive cell populations, including Tregs and suppressor monocytes, have been implicated in long-term survival of allografts in both human transplant recipients and animal models. The factors that drive differentiation and function of these cell populations are not completely understood. In this issue, Bézie and colleagues identify IL-34 as an important mediator of allograft tolerance in a rat model of heart transplantation. Their data support a model in which IL-34 production by T...

Sensitivity of scintigraphy with 111In-lymphocytes for detection of cardiac allograft rejection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisenberg, S.B.; Eisen, H.J.; Sobel, B.E.; Bergmann, S.R.; Bolman, R.M. III

1988-01-01

We recently demonstrated the feasibility of noninvasive detection of cardiac allograft rejection after administration of indium-111-labeled lymphocytes. To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the technique, as well as its value for delineating the severity of rejection, we studied 16 dogs with heterotopic thoracic cardiac allografts. Five animals were evaluated while exposed to immunosuppressive agents. Animals were scanned sequentially after administration of 100-400 microCi of indium-111-labeled autologous lymphocytes. Myocardial lymphocyte infiltration was expressed as the indium excess (IE), defined as the ratio of indium activity of the transplant or native heart compared with that in blood. Scintigraphic results were compared with characteristics of simultaneously obtained endomyocardial biopsies. Among 17 biopsy documented episodes of rejection, 16 were detected scintigraphically. Among 18 biopsies with no evidence of rejection, scintigraphy was uniformly negative. Thus, the sensitivity and specificity of scintigraphy were 94 and 100%, respectively. Biopsies graded as showing no rejection were associated with an IE of 0.3 +/- 0.5 (+/- SD); those graded as mild, 2.8 +/- 1.7; those as moderate, 10.7 +/- 7.2; and those graded as indicative of severe rejection, 14.2 +/- 4.5. Thus, scintigraphy with indium-111-labeled lymphocytes sensitively and specifically detects cardiac allograft rejection and delineates the intensity of the rejection process. It should be useful clinically for assessing potential allograft rejection noninvasively

Long-term prognosis of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap in the Copenhagen City Heart study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lange, Peter; Çolak, Yunus; Ingebrigtsen, Truls Sylvan

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Long-term prognosis of patients with characteristics of both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, named asthma-COPD overlap, is poorly described. We investigated the long-term prognosis of individuals with different types of chronic airway disease, with a special...... were 39·48 (95% CI 25·93-60·11) in asthma-COPD overlap with early-onset asthma, 83·47 (61·67-112·98) in asthma-COPD overlap with late-onset asthma, 23·80 (17·43-33·50) in COPD, and 14·74 (10·06-21·59) in asthma compared with never-smokers without lung disease (all p... focus on individuals with asthma-COPD overlap. METHODS: We assigned participants from the Copenhagen City Heart Study into six subgroups: healthy never-smokers, ever-smokers without asthma and COPD, those with asthma with low cumulated smoking exposure and no airflow limitation, those with COPD, those...

Electrocardiographic Characteristics of Potential Organ Donors and Associations with Cardiac Allograft Utilization

Science.gov (United States)

Khush, Kiran K.; Menza, Rebecca; Nguyen, John; Goldstein, Benjamin A.; Zaroff, Jonathan G.; Drew, Barbara J.

2012-01-01

Background Current regulations require that all cardiac allograft offers for transplantation must include an interpreted 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). However, little is known about the expected ECG findings in potential organ donors, or the clinical significance of any identified abnormalities in terms of cardiac allograft function and suitability for transplantation. Methods and Results A single experienced reviewer interpreted the first ECG obtained after brainstem herniation in 980 potential organ donors managed by the California Transplant Donor Network from 2002-2007. ECG abnormalities were summarized, and associations between specific ECG findings and cardiac allograft utilization for transplantation were studied. ECG abnormalities were present in 51% of all cases reviewed. The most common abnormalities included voltage criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), prolongation of the corrected QT interval (QTc), and repolarization changes (ST/T wave abnormalities). Fifty seven percent of potential cardiac allografts in this cohort were accepted for transplantation. LVH on ECG was a strong predictor of allograft non-utilization. No significant associations were seen between QTc prolongation, repolarization changes and allograft utilization for transplantation, after adjusting for donor clinical variables and echocardiographic findings. Conclusions We have performed the first comprehensive study of ECG findings in potential donors for cardiac transplantation. Many of the common ECG abnormalities seen in organ donors may result from the heightened state of sympathetic activation that occurs after brainstem herniation, and are not associated with allograft utilization for transplantation. PMID:22615333

Desensitization strategies in adult heart transplantation-Will persistence pay off?

Science.gov (United States)

Chih, Sharon; Patel, Jignesh

2016-08-01

Strategies are needed to enable successful heart transplantation in highly sensitized patients. Immunologic challenges from sensitization to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) reduce access to compatible donors, extend waiting times to transplant, and increase the risks of antibody-mediated rejection and cardiac allograft vasculopathy after transplant. The prime goal of desensitization is to increase access to transplantation through expansion of the donor organ pool. Existing therapies are directed at key components of the humoral immune response with newer biologically based regimens able to target plasma cells as the source of antibody production, as well as complement activation that has a central role in antibody-mediated injury. Despite the emergence of early promising results for these agents, a significant knowledge gap remains with the current data for desensitization, extrapolated mostly from non-heart solid-organ transplants and small observational studies. Notably, no approach has demonstrated significant and sustainable reductions in HLA antibody pre-transplant, and the ideal desensitization strategy remains elusive. In addition, clinical tools to evaluate the humoral response and efficacy of therapy are limited, focusing almost exclusively on HLA antibody detection. Importantly, desensitization is associated with significant costs and potential risks, and overall long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness have not been sufficiently evaluated. Investigation is ongoing into the development of a clinically effective desensitization strategy in heart transplantation. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of skin allograft use in thermal injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, John L; Caterson, E J; Hale, Robert G; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Renz, Evan M; Chan, Rodney K

2013-01-01

This study provides objective data on the practice of allograft usage in severely burned patients. Furthermore, gaps in our knowledge are identified, and areas for further research are delineated. Using an institutional review board-approved protocol, active duty military patients injured while deployed in support of overseas contingency operations and treated at our burn center between March 2003 and December 2010 were identified. Their electronic medical records were reviewed for allograft use, TBSA burned, injury severity score, anatomic distribution of burns, operative burden, length of stay, transfusions, and outcome. Among 844 patients, 112 (13.3%) received allograft and 732 (86.7%) did not. The amount of allograft used per patient varied and was not normally distributed (median, 23.5; interquartile range, 69.5). Patients received allograft skin an average of 12.75 times during their admission. Allografted patients sustained severe burns (μ, 53.8% TBSA); most were transfused (71.2%) and grafted frequently, averaging every 7.45 days. Most commonly, allograft was placed on the extremities (66.5%) followed by the trunk (44.2%); however, the vast majority of allografted patients also had concomitant burns of the head (91.1%) and hands (87.5%). All-cause mortality among the allografted patients was 19.1%. In conclusion, allograft is commonly used in the surgical treatment of severe burns. Although there are no anatomic limitations to allograft placement, there are distinct patterns of use. Given the role of allograft in the acute management of large burns, there is need for further investigation of its effect on mortality, morbidity, and antigenicity.

Coronary blood flow and thallium 201 uptake in rejecting rat heart transplantations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergsland, J.; Hwang, K.; Driscoll, R.; Carr, E.A.; Wright, J.R.; Curran-Everett, D.C.; Carroll, M.; Krasney, E.; Krasney, J.A.

1989-01-01

The effects of rejection on coronary flow (CAF) in heart allografts are unclear, although previous evidence with cardiac imaging agents indicates impaired flow during advanced rejection. The purpose of this study was to measure CAF in heterotopically placed heart grafts. Lewis rats (LEW) received grafts from either syngeneic Lewis rats (LEW/LEW group) or allogeneic ACI rats (ACI/LEW group). CAF was measured in both the transplanted and native hearts with radiolabeled microspheres. Rejection was measured histologically (grades 0 [absent] to 4+ [severe]). In addition systemic blood pressure and cardiac outputs of the native hearts were determined with microspheres. Different animals were studied during relatively early (4 days) and late (6 days) rejection. Among the 4-day animals a cyclosporine-treated group was included (ACI/LEW CyA). In 6-day rats CAF in allografts was lower (0.56 +/- .06 ml/gm/min) compared with syngeneic grafts (1.72 +/- 0.4 ml/gm/min) (p less than 0.05). The CAF in the native hearts did not differ significantly but was higher than in the grafts in both groups. Heart rates were reduced in allografts (p less than 0.05). It is interesting that arterial pressure and cardiac output were significantly lower in animals bearing allogeneic than syngeneic grafts. In rats studied at 4 days graft CAF was lower than in the native heart in both the LEW/LEW and ACI/LEW groups, but there was no significant difference in behavior between groups. The same was true for a cyclosporine-treated group. Graft heart rates were similar in all 4-day rats

Indium-111-monoclonal antimyosin antibody studies after the first year of heart transplantation. Identification of risk groups for developing rejection during long-term follow-up and clinical implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballester, M.; Obrador, D.; Carrio, I.; Auge, J.M.; Moya, C.; Pons-Llado, G.; Caralps-Riera, J.M.

1990-01-01

The long-term clinical course and results of biopsies in 21 patients studied with monoclonal antimyosin antibodies more than 12 months after heart transplantation according to the presence and degree of antimyosin-antibody uptake is described. Eighteen men and three women aged 20-52 years (39 +/- 9 years) were studied with antimyosin antibodies 12-40 months (mean, 22 +/- 9 months) after heart transplantation, and followed for a mean of 18 months (10-28 months). The number of biopsies performed during follow-up was 102. Results showed normal antimyosin-antibody studies in nine patients and abnormal studies in 12 patients. Myocyte damage was identified in 18 of the 102 biopsies (17.6%), one in the normal antimyosin-antibody group of patients and 17 in those patients with myocardial antimyosin-antibody uptake. Patients who developed rejection comprised 11% and 67% of each respective group; the mean number of rejection episodes per patient was 0.11 +/- 0.33 and 1.41 +/- 1.41, respectively (p less than 0.01). A trend was noted by which higher heart-to-lung ratios were associated with greater probability of rejection. Conclusively, (1) antimyosin-antibody studies performed after more than 1 year after heart transplantation indicate the presence and level of rejection activity, (2) groups of patients at risk for developing rejection at biopsy during long-term follow-up may be detected by antimyosin-antibody study, and (3) surveillance for rejection and the degree of immunosuppression should be tailored to meet individual patient needs

A Pilot Study of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Acute Liver Allograft Rejection

OpenAIRE

Shi, Ming; Liu, Zhenwen; Wang, Ying; Xu, Rounan; Sun, Yanling; Zhang, Min; Yu, Xi; Wang, Hongbo; Meng, Lingzhan; Su, Haibin; Jin, Lei; Wang, Fu‐Sheng

2017-01-01

Abstract Acute allograft rejection remains common after liver transplantation despite modern immunosuppressive agents. In addition, the long‐term side effects of these regimens, including opportunistic infections, are challenging. This study evaluated the safety and clinical feasibility of umbilical cord‐derived mesenchymal stem cell (UC‐MSC) therapy in liver transplant patients with acute graft rejection. Twenty‐seven liver allograft recipients with acute rejection were randomly assigned int...

Long-Term Haloperidol Treatment Prolongs QT Interval and Increases Expression of Sigma 1 and IP3 Receptors in Guinea Pig Hearts.

Science.gov (United States)

Stracina, Tibor; Slaninova, Iva; Polanska, Hana; Axmanova, Martina; Olejnickova, Veronika; Konecny, Petr; Masarik, Michal; Krizanova, Olga; Novakova, Marie

2015-07-01

Haloperidol is a neuroleptic drug used for a medication of various psychoses and deliria. Its administration is frequently accompanied by cardiovascular side effects, expressed as QT interval prolongation and occurrence of even lethal arrhythmias. Despite these side effects, haloperidol is still prescribed in Europe in clinical practice. Haloperidol binds to sigma receptors that are coupled with inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptors. Sigma receptors are expressed in various tissues, including heart muscle, and they modulate potassium channels. Together with IP3 receptors, sigma receptors are also involved in calcium handling in various tissues. Therefore, the present work aimed to study the effects of long-term haloperidol administration on the cardiac function. Haloperidol (2 mg/kg once a day) or vehiculum was administered by intraperitoneal injection to guinea pigs for 21 consecutive days. We measured the responsiveness of the hearts isolated from the haloperidol-treated animals to additional application of haloperidol. Expression of the sigma 1 receptor and IP3 receptors was studied by real time-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses. Haloperidol treatment caused the significant decrease in the relative heart rate and the prolongation of QT interval of the isolated hearts from the haloperidol-treated animals, compared to the hearts isolated from control animals. The expression of sigma 1 and IP3 type 1 and type 2 receptors was increased in both atria of the haloperidol-treated animals but not in ventricles. The modulation of sigma 1 and IP3 receptors may lead to altered calcium handling in cardiomyocytes and thus contribute to changed sensitivity of cardiac cells to arrhythmias.

Complete recovery of renal allograft function after six days of delay following living related transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arogundade, F.A.; Sanusi, A.A.; Badmus, T.A.

2008-01-01

Delayed graft function (DGF), a term employed when a newly transplanted organ does not function efficiently is commonly observed following cadaveric renal transplantation but is very rare after living related transplants. We present a 31-year-old female recipient of a related donor kidney (mother) who had DGF following transplantation due to acute tubular necrosis, probably caused by partial allograft arterial thrombosis, which recovered function after 60 days. Appropriate use of allograft biopsy should be encouraged even in resource-limited settings lest the allograft be assumed to have failed irreversibly. (author)

Early Allograft Dysfunction Is Associated With Higher Risk of Renal Nonrecovery After Liver Transplantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hani M. Wadei, MD

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Early allograft dysfunction (EAD identifies allografts with marginal function soon after liver transplantation (LT and is associated with poor LT outcomes. The impact of EAD on post-LT renal recovery, however, has not been studied. Data on 69 primary LT recipients (41 with and 28 without history of renal dysfunction who received renal replacement therapy (RRT for a median (range of 9 (13-41 days before LT were retrospectively analyzed. Primary outcome was renal nonrecovery defined as RRT requirement 30 days from LT. Early allograft dysfunction developed in 21 (30% patients, and 22 (32% patients did not recover renal function. Early allograft dysfunction was more common in the renal nonrecovery group (50% vs 21%, P = 0.016. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that EAD (odds ratio, 7.25; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-25.8; P = 0.002 and baseline serum creatinine (odds ratio, 3.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-8.1; P = 0.007 were independently associated with renal nonrecovery. History of renal dysfunction, duration of renal dysfunction, and duration of RRT were not related to renal recovery (P > 0.2 for all. Patients who had EAD and renal nonrecovery had the worst 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival, whereas those without EAD and recovered renal function had the best outcomes (P < 0.001. Post-LT EAD was independently associated with renal nonrecovery in LT recipients on RRT for a short duration before LT. Furthermore, EAD in the setting of renal nonrecovery resulted in the worst long-term survival. Measures to prevent EAD should be undertaken in LT recipients on RRT at time of LT.

An assessment of the long-term health outcome of renal transplant recipients in Ireland.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Al-Aradi, A

2009-06-04

BACKGROUND: Renal transplantation remains the preferred method of renal replacement therapy in terms of patient survival, quality of life and cost. However, patients have a high risk of complications ranging from rejection episodes, infection and cancer, amongst others. AIMS AND METHODS: In this study, we sought to determine the long-term health outcomes and preventive health measures undertaken for the 1,536 living renal transplant patients in Ireland using a self-reported questionnaire. Outcomes were divided into categories, namely, general health information, allograft-related information, immunosuppression-related complications and preventive health measures. RESULTS: The results demonstrate a high rate of cardiovascular, neoplastic and infectious complications in our transplant patients. Moreover, preventive health measures are often not undertaken by patients and lifestyle choices can be poor. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the work needed by the transplantation community to improve patient education, adjust immunosuppression where necessary and aggressively manage patient risk factors.

Effect of short-term heart rate variability biofeedback on long-term abstinence in alcohol dependent patients - a one-year follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Penzlin, Ana Isabel; Barlinn, Kristian; Illigens, Ben Min-Woo; Weidner, Kerstin; Siepmann, Martin; Siepmann, Timo

2017-09-06

A randomized controlled study (RCT) recently showed that short-term heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback in addition to standard rehabilitation care for alcohol dependence can reduce craving, anxiety and improve cardiovascular autonomic function. In this one-year follow-up study we aimed to explore whether completion of 2-week HRV-Biofeedback training is associated with long-term abstinence. Furthermore, we sought to identify potential predictors of post-treatment abstinence. We conducted a survey on abstinence in patients with alcohol dependence 1 year after completion of an RCT comparing HRV-biofeedback in addition to inpatient rehabilitation treatment alone (controls). Abstinence rates were compared and analysed for association with demographic data as well as psychometric and autonomic cardiac assessment before and after completion of the biofeedback training using bivariate and multivariate regression analyses. Out of 48 patients who participated in the RCT, 27 patients (9 females, ages 42.9 ± 8.6, mean ± SD) completed our one-year follow-up. When including in the analysis only patients who completed follow-up, the rate of abstinence tended to be higher in patients who underwent HRV-biofeedback 1 year earlier compared to those who received rehabilitative treatment alone (66.7% vs 50%, p = ns). This non-significant trend was also observed in the intention-to-treat analysis where patients who did not participate in the follow-up were assumed to have relapsed (46,7% biofeedback vs. 33.3% controls, p = ns). Neither cardiac autonomic function nor psychometric variables were associated with abstinence 1 year after HRV-biofeedback. Our follow-up study provide a first indication of possible increase in long-term abstinence after HRV-biofeedback for alcohol dependence in addition to rehabilitation. The original randomized controlled trial was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register ( DRKS00004618 ). This one-year follow-up survey has not been

Cardiovascular diseases mortality following cancer during childhood: long term risk, role of chemotherapy and of radiation dose to heart and brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tukenova, Markhaba; Guibout, Catherine; Oberlin, Odile; Doyon, Francoise; Moussannif, Abdedaid; Haddy, Nadia; Diallo, Ibrahima; Vathaire, Florent de; Pacquement, Helene; Hawkins, Mike; Winter, Dave

2008-01-01

Full text: Background: A multi-centric French-UK cohort study was performed to evaluate the role of treatment in the long-term overall and cause-specific mortality among childhood cancer survivors. Methods: This study cohort included 4,120 patients treated for a solid tumours before the age of 17 between 1942-1986, in 8 centres in France and UK and who survived at least 5 years from diagnosis. Detailed clinical and therapeutic data were extracted for each patients from medical records. For 2868 of the 2868 patients who received radiotherapy, radiation doses were estimated using DOS E G software at 188 anatomical sites, including heart (7 sites) and lungs (10 sites). We obtained the death causes of 95 % of dead patients. Overall and cause-specific mortality standardized ratios (SMR), absolute excess risk (AER) of death were studied using Poisson regression. Results: 603 patients died during the follow-up, i.e. 8.5-fold (95 % CI: 7.7-9.1) more than that expected in the general population. A total of 32 patients died of cardiovascular diseases, i.e. 4.8-fold (95 % CI, 3.3 to 6.7) more than expected, 21 of which were cardiac diseases, i.e. 6.0-fold more (95% CI, 3.8 to 9.0). Overall, patients who had received radiotherapy had a 5.4-fold (95% CI, 1.5 to 32.1) higher risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease than those who had not. Mortality due to cardiac disease was related to the administration of alkylating agents and / or vinca alkaloids, and to that of anthracyclines. Each additional 100 mg of anthracyclines per m 2 of body surface area increased the mortality rate due to heart diseases by 92% (95% CI, 16% to 318%). Patients who had received between 5 to 14.9 Gy to the heart during radiotherapy had a 14.5-fold (95% CI, 2.0 to 291) higher risk of mortality from cardiac diseases than patients who had not received radiotherapy, this ratio being 32.6 (95% CI, 5.6 to 622) in those who had received more than 15 Gy. Conclusion: Childhood cancer survivors are at high

EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON CARDIAC STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: A TWIN STUDY

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Urho M.Kujala

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have shown that athletic training or other physical activity causes structural and functional adaptations in the heart, but less is known how long-term physical activity affects heart when genetic liability and childhood environment are taken into account. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term physical activity vs. inactivity on cardiac structure and function in twin pairs discordant for physical activity for 32 years. Twelve same-sex twin pairs (five monozygotic and seven dizygotic, 50-67 years were studied as a part of the TWINACTIVE study. Discordance in physical activity was initially determined in 1975 and it remained significant throughout the follow-up. At the end of the follow-up in 2007, resting echocardiographic and electrocardiographic measurements were performed. During the follow-up period, the active co-twins were on average 8.2 (SD 4.0 MET hours/day more active than their inactive co-twins (p < 0.001. At the end of the follow-up, resting heart rate was lower in the active than inactive co-twins [59 (SD 5 vs. 68 (SD 10 bpm, p=0.03]. The heart rate-corrected QT interval was similar between the co-twins. Also, there was a tendency for left ventricular mass per body weight to be greater and T wave amplitude in lead II to be higher in the active co-twins (18% and 15%, respectively, p=0.08 for both. Similar trends were found for both monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. In conclusion, the main adaptation to long- term physical activity is lowered resting heart rate, even after partially or fully controlling for genetic liability and childhood environment

Lactated Ringer-based storage solutions are equally well suited for the storage of fresh osteochondral allografts as cell culture medium-based storage solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Harb, Afif; von Horn, Alexander; Gocalek, Kornelia; Schäck, Luisa Marilena; Clausen, Jan; Krettek, Christian; Noack, Sandra; Neunaber, Claudia

2017-07-01

Due to the rising interest in Europe to treat large cartilage defects with osteochondrale allografts, research aims to find a suitable solution for long-term storage of osteochondral allografts. This is further encouraged by the fact that legal restrictions currently limit the use of the ingredients from animal or human sources that are being used in other regions of the world (e.g. in the USA). Therefore, the aim of this study was A) to analyze if a Lactated Ringer (LR) based solution is as efficient as a Dulbecco modified Eagle's minimal essential medium (DMEM) in maintaining chondrocyte viability and B) at which storage temperature (4°C vs. 37°C) chondrocyte survival of the osteochondral allograft is optimally sustained. 300 cartilage grafts were collected from knees of ten one year-old Black Head German Sheep. The grafts were stored in four different storage solutions (one of them DMEM-based, the other three based on Lactated Ringer Solution), at two different temperatures (4 and 37°C) for 14 and 56days. At both points in time, chondrocyte survival as well as death rate, Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content, and Hydroxyproline (HP) concentration were measured and compared between the grafts stored in the different solutions and at the different temperatures. Independent of the storage solutions tested, chondrocyte survival rates were higher when stored at 4°C compared to storage at 37°C both after short-term (14days) and long-term storage (56days). At no point in time did the DMEM-based solution show a superior chondrocyte survival compared to lactated Ringer based solution. GAG and HP content were comparable across all time points, temperatures and solutions. LR based solutions that contain only substances that are approved in Germany may be just as efficient for storing grafts as the USA DMEM-based solution gold standard. Moreover, in the present experiment storage of osteochondral allografts at 4°C was superior to storage at 37°C. Copyright © 2017

Human technology after cardiac epigenesis. Artificial heart versus cardiac transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Losman, J G

1977-09-24

Cardiovascular disease is the chief cause of death in technologically advanced countries and accounts for more than 50% of all deaths in the USA. For a patient with end-stage cardiac failure the only treatment presently available is organ replacement, either by transplantation or by the use of a mechanical heart. Transplantation has demonstrated its value: survival of more than 8 years and restoration of a normal quality of life to patients who were in end-stage cardiac decompensation. However, the prospect of routine clinical application of an artificial heart remains distant. The development of a totally implantable artificial heart still presents a series of challenging engineering problems with regard to strict constraints of size, weight, blood-material compatibility, adaptability of output to demand, efficiency and reliability of the power supply, and safety if nuclear fuel is used. The totally artificial heart is presently not an alternative to the cardiac allograft, but could provide short-term support for patients awaiting cardiac transplantation.

Influence of long-term treatment with glyceryl trinitrate on remote ischemic conditioning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hauerslev, Marie; Mørk, Sivagowry Rasalingam; Pryds, Kasper

2018-01-01

Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) protects against sustained myocardial ischemia. Due to overlapping mechanisms this protection may be altered by glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), which is commonly used in the treatment of patients with chronic ischemic heart disease. We investigated whether long-term ...

Insurance and education predict long-term survival after orthotopic heart transplantation in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Jeremiah G; Weiss, Eric S; Arnaoutakis, George J; Russell, Stuart D; Baumgartner, William A; Shah, Ashish S; Conte, John V

2012-01-01

Insurance status and education are known to affect health outcomes. However, their importance in orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is unknown. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database provides a large cohort of OHT recipients in which to evaluate the effect of insurance and education on survival. UNOS data were retrospectively reviewed to identify adult primary OHT recipients (1997 to 2008). Patients were stratified by insurance at the time of transplantation (private/self-pay, Medicare, Medicaid, and other) and college education. All-cause mortality was examined using multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression incorporating 15 variables. Survival was modeled using the Kaplan-Meier method. Insurance for 20,676 patients was distributed as follows: private insurance/self-pay, 12,298 (59.5%); Medicare, 5,227 (25.3%); Medicaid, 2,320 (11.2%); and "other" insurance, 831 (4.0%). Educational levels were recorded for 15,735 patients (76.1% of cohort): 7,738 (49.2%) had a college degree. During 53 ± 41 months of follow-up, 6,125 patients (29.6%) died (6.7 deaths/100 patient-years). Survival differed by insurance and education. Medicare and Medicaid patients had 8.6% and 10.0% lower 10-year survival, respectively, than private/self-pay patients. College-educated patients had 7.0% higher 10-year survival. On multivariable analysis, college education decreased mortality risk by 11%. Medicare and Medicaid increased mortality risk by 18% and 33%, respectively (p ≤ 0.001). Our study examining insurance and education in a large cohort of OHT patients found that long-term mortality after OHT is higher in Medicare/Medicaid patients and in those without a college education. This study points to potential differences in the care of OHT patients based on education and insurance status. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Short-term and long-term effects of violent media on aggression in children and adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Bushman, Brad J; Huesmann, L Rowell

2006-04-01

To test whether the results of the accumulated studies on media violence and aggressive behavior are consistent with the theories that have evolved to explain the effects. We tested for the existence of both short-term and long-term effects for aggressive behavior. We also tested the theory-driven hypothesis that short-term effects should be greater for adults and long-term effects should be greater for children. Meta-analysis. Children younger than 18 years and adults. Violent media, including TV, movies, video games, music, and comic books. Measures of aggressive behavior, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal (eg, heart rate, blood pressure), and helping behavior. Effect size estimates were combined using meta-analytic procedures. As expected, the short-term effects of violent media were greater for adults than for children whereas the long-term effects were greater for children than for adults. The results also showed that there were overall modest but significant effect sizes for exposure to media violence on aggressive behaviors, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, arousal levels, and helping behavior. The results are consistent with the theory that short-term effects are mostly due to the priming of existing well-encoded scripts, schemas, or beliefs, which adults have had more time to encode. In contrast, long-term effects require the learning (encoding) of scripts, schemas, or beliefs. Children can encode new scripts, schemas, and beliefs via observational learning with less interference and effort than adults.

Clinical, Histological, and Molecular Markers Associated With Allograft Loss in Transplant Glomerulopathy Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamal, Layla; Broin, Pilib Ó; Bao, Yi; Ajaimy, Maria; Lubetzky, Michelle; Gupta, Anjali; de Boccardo, Graciela; Pullman, James; Golden, Aaron; Akalin, Enver

2015-09-01

We aimed to investigate the clinical, histopathological, and molecular factors associated with allograft loss in transplant glomerulopathy (TGP) patients. Of the 525 patients who underwent clinically indicated kidney biopsies, 52 (10%) had diagnosis of TGP. Gene expression profiles of 28 TGP and 11 normal transplant kidney biopsy samples were analyzed by Affymetrix HuGene 1.0 ST expression arrays. Over a median follow up of 23 months (1-46 months) after the diagnosis of TGP by biopsy, 17 patients (32%) lost their allografts at a median of 16 months (1-44 months). There was no difference between the 2 groups in terms of any demographic variables, serum creatinine, panel reactive antibody levels, donor-specific antibody frequency, or mean fluorescence intensity values. Patients who lost their allograft had a significantly higher median spot protein to creatinine ratio 2.81 (1.20-6.00) compared to no graft loss patients 1.16 (0.15-2.53), (P TGP patients with allograft loss.

No upregulation of digitalis glycoside receptor (Na,K-ATPase) concentration in human heart left ventricle samples obtained at necropsy after long term digitalisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, T A; Holm-Nielsen, P; Kjeldsen, K

1991-08-01

life is associated with a 34% occupancy of digitalis glycoside receptors with digoxin. In the human heart there was no evidence for upregulation of digitalis glycoside receptor concentration due to long term digitalisation. Thus at receptor level there was no evidence for development of tolerance to digoxin therapy. The lower digitalis glycoside receptor concentration in the left ventricle observed in the heart failure patients may support the report of a relationship between Na,K-ATPase concentration as evaluated by 3H-ouabain binding and left ventricular function.

The Impact of Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury on Liver Allografts from Deceased after Cardiac Death versus Deceased after Brain Death Donors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Xu

Full Text Available The shortage of organs for transplantation has led to increased use of organs procured from donors after cardiac death (DCD. The effects of cardiac death on the liver remain poorly understood, however. Using livers obtained from DCD versus donors after brain death (DBD, we aimed to understand how ischemia/reperfusion (I/R injury alters expression of pro-inflammatory markers ceramides and influences graft leukocyte infiltration.Hepatocyte inflammation, as assessed by ceramide expression, was evaluated in DCD (n = 13 and DBD (n = 10 livers. Allograft expression of inflammatory and cell death markers, and allograft leukocyte infiltration were evaluated from a contemporaneous independent cohort of DCD (n = 22 and DBD (n = 13 livers.When examining the differences between transplant stages in each group, C18, C20, C24 ceramides showed significant difference in DBD (p<0.05 and C22 ceramide (p<0.05 were more pronounced for DCD. C18 ceramide is correlated to bilirubin, INR, and creatinine after transplant in DCD. Prior to transplantation, DCD livers have reduced leukocyte infiltration compared to DBD allografts. Following reperfusion, the neutrophil infiltration and platelet deposition was less prevalent in DCD grafts while cell death and recipients levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST of DCD allografts had significantly increased.These data suggest that I/R injury generate necrosis in the absence of a strong inflammatory response in DCD livers with an appreciable effect on early graft function. The long-term consequences of increased inflammation in DBD and increased cell death in DCD allografts are unknown and warrant further investigation.

Risks of fracture of Björk-Shiley 60 degree convexo-concave prosthetic heart valves: long-term cohort follow up in the UK, Netherlands and USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Blot, W J; Omar, R Z; Kallewaard, M; Morton, L S; Fryzek, J P; Ibrahim, M A; Acheson, D; Taylor, K M; van der Graaf, Y

2001-03-01

Approximately 82,000 Björk-Shiley convexo-concave (BSCC) 60 degree prosthetic heart valves were implanted in patients worldwide between 1979 and 1986. Outlet strut fractures (OSF) of some of the valves were first reported shortly after their introduction. Here, the determinants of OSF are examined, and the between-country variation and long-term risk are assessed. Cohorts of patients in the UK, Netherlands and USA with 15,770 BSCC 60 degree heart valves were followed up to 18 years for the occurrence of OSF. Crude rates of OSF were highest in the UK (0.18% per year), intermediate in the Netherlands (0.13%), and lowest in the USA (0.06%), although risk factor adjustment reduced the inter-country differences. Furthermore, in the UK and Netherlands, OSF rates (particularly for mitral valves) declined with time since implantation, and between-country differences were considerably diminished 10 or more years post implantation. The risk of OSF decreased steadily with advancing patient age. Fracture rates were lower among women than men, and also varied significantly with valve size and position and OSF status of other valves in the same shoporder. This long-term follow up of BSCC 60 degree heart valve patients indicates that risk factors for valve fracture are generally similar in the UK, Netherlands and USA. It also identifies a strong association between fracture risk and age, newly reveals gender-related differences, and shows that the risk of valve fracture persisted, albeit at a reduced rate, into the 1990s.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells suppress MHC class II expression on rat vascular endothelium and prolong survival time of cardiac allograft

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Ying; Yun, Mark M; Han, Xia; Zhao, Ruidong; Zhou, Erxia; Yun, Sheng

2014-01-01

Background: Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) have low immunogenicity and immune regulation. To investigate immunomodulatory effects of human UC-MSCs on MHC class II expression and allograft, we transplanted heart of transgenic rats with MHC class II expression on vascular endothelium. Methods: UC-MSCs were obtained from human umbilical cords and confirmed with flow cytometry analysis. Transgenic rat line was established using the construct of human MHC class II transactivator gene (CIITA) under mouse ICAM-2 promoter control. The induced MHC class II expression on transgenic rat vascular endothelial cells (VECs) was assessed with immunohistological staining. And the survival time of cardiac allograft was compared between the recipients with and without UC-MSC transfusion. Results: Flow cytometry confirmed that the human UC-MSCs were positive for CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105, CD271, and negative for CD34 and HLA-DR. Repeated infusion of human UC-MSCs reduced MHC class II expression on vascular endothelia of transplanted hearts, and increased survival time of allograft. The UC-MSCs increased regulatory cytokines IL10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and suppressed proinflammatory cytokines IL2 and IFN-γ in vivo. The UC-MSC culture supernatant had similar effects on cytokine expression, and decreased lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. Conclusions: Repeated transfusion of the human UC-MSCs reduced MHC class II expression on vascular endothelia and prolonged the survival time of rat cardiac allograft. PMID:25126177

Renal denervation in a patient with Alport syndrome and rejected renal allograft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Narayana Raju

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Renal denervation is a new intervention to treat resistant hypertension. By applying radiofrequency (RF to renal arteries, sympathetic nerves in adventitia layer of vascular wall can be denervated. Sympathetic hyperactivity is an important contributory factor in hypertension of hemodialysis patients. Hyperactive sympathetic nervous system aggravates hypertension and it can cause complications like left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, arrhythmias and atherogenesis. Our report illustrates the use of renal denervation using conventional RF catheter for uncontrolled hypertension in a patient with Alport syndrome and rejected renal allograft. Progressive and sustained reduction of blood pressure was obtained post-procedure and at 24 months follow-up with antihypertensives decreased from 6 to 2 per day, thereby demonstrating the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of the procedure. There are some reports available on the usefulness of this technique in hemodialysis patients; however, there are no studies of renal denervation in patients with Alport syndrome and failed allograft situation.

Renal denervation in a patient with Alport syndrome and rejected renal allograft.

Science.gov (United States)

Raju, Narayana; Lloyd, Vincent; Yalagudri, Sachin; Das, Bharati; Ravikishore, A G

2015-12-01

Renal denervation is a new intervention to treat resistant hypertension. By applying radiofrequency (RF) to renal arteries, sympathetic nerves in adventitia layer of vascular wall can be denervated. Sympathetic hyperactivity is an important contributory factor in hypertension of hemodialysis patients. Hyperactive sympathetic nervous system aggravates hypertension and it can cause complications like left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, arrhythmias and atherogenesis. Our report illustrates the use of renal denervation using conventional RF catheter for uncontrolled hypertension in a patient with Alport syndrome and rejected renal allograft. Progressive and sustained reduction of blood pressure was obtained post-procedure and at 24 months follow-up with antihypertensives decreased from 6 to 2 per day, thereby demonstrating the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of the procedure. There are some reports available on the usefulness of this technique in hemodialysis patients; however, there are no studies of renal denervation in patients with Alport syndrome and failed allograft situation. Copyright © 2015 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Air Quality and Heart Health: An Emerging Topic for Heart Month

Science.gov (United States)

Air Quality and Heart Health: An Emerging Topic for Heart Month: Ambient air particle pollution increases short- and long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Older-people, those with pre-existing heart disease and lung disease and diabetes are at higher risk. Mechanism...

Heart failure in women and men during acute coronary syndrome and long-term cardiovascular mortality (the ABC-3* Study on Heart Disease) (*Adria, Bassano, Conegliano, and Padova Hospitals).

Science.gov (United States)

Berton, Giuseppe; Cordiano, Rocco; Cavuto, Fiorella; Bagato, Francesco; Pellegrinet, Marco; Cati, Arianna

2016-10-01

We investigated the gender-based differences in the association between heart failure (HF) during acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and post-discharge, long-term cardiovascular (CV) mortality. The present study included 557 patients enrolled in three intensive coronary care units and discharged alive. HF during ACS was evaluated by Killip class and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Interaction between gender and HF after 15years of follow up was studied using Cox models including a formal interaction term. Median age was 67 (interquartile range [IQR], 59-75) years, 29% were females, 37% had non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and 32% Killip class>1, and median LVEF was 53% (IQR 46-61). All but five patients were followed up to 15years, representing 5332 person-years. Of these, 40.2% died of CV-related causes. Crude CV mortality rate was higher among women (52.2%) than men (35.3%; Pcoronary reperfusion, the interaction was significant across all models [HR=0.63 (0.42-0.95), P=0.02 in the fully adjusted model]. LVEF showed no significant hazard associated with female gender on univariable analysis [HR=1.4 (0.9-0.2.0), P=0.11] but did so in all adjusted models [HR=1.7 (1.2-2.5), P=0.005 in the fully adjusted model]. Gender is a consistent, independent effect modifier in the association between HF and long-term CV mortality after ACS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of long-term dharma-chan meditation on cardiorespiratory synchronization and heart rate variability behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chih-Hao; Lo, Pei-Chen

2013-04-01

Remarkable changes in cardiorespiratory interactions are frequently experienced by Chan meditation practitioners following years of practice. This study compares the results of our study on cardiorespiratory interactions for novice (control group) and experienced (experimental group) Chan meditation practitioners. The effectual co-action between the cardiac and respiratory systems was evaluated by the degree of cardiorespiratory phase synchronization (CRPS). In addition, an adaptive-frequency-range (AFR) scheme to reliably quantify heart rate variability (HRV) was developed for assessing the regulation of sympathetic-parasympathetic activity and the efficiency of pulmonary gas exchange. The enhanced HRV method, named HRVAFR, can resolve the issue of overestimating HRV under the condition of slow respiration rates, which is frequently encountered in studies on Chan meditation practitioners. In the comparison of the three data sets collected from the two groups, our findings resulted in innovative hypotheses to interpret the extraordinary process of the rejuvenation of cardiorespiratory functions through long-term Dharma-Chan meditation practice. Particularly, advanced practitioners exhibit a continuously high degree of cardiorespiratory phase synchronization, even during rapid breathing. Based on our post-experimental interview with advanced practitioners, the activation of inner Chakra energy, during the course of Chan-detachment practice, frequently induces perceptible physiological-mental reformation, including an efficient mechanism for regulating cardiorespiratory interactions.

LONG TERM COLLECTIONS

CERN Multimedia

STAFF ASSOCIATION

2010-01-01

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Long-Term Collections (CLT) committee would like to warmly thank its faithful donors who, year after year, support our actions all over the world. Without you, all this would not be possible. We would like to thank, in particular, the CERN Firemen’s Association who donated 5000 CHF in the spring thanks to the sale of their traditional calendar, and the generosity of the CERN community. A huge thank you to the firemen for their devotion to our cause. And thank you to all those who have opened their door, their heart, and their purses! Similarly, we warmly thank the CERN Yoga Club once again for its wonderful donation of 2000 CHF we recently received. We would also like to tell you that all our projects are running well. Just to remind you, we are currently supporting the activities of the «Réflexe-Partage» Association in Mali; the training centre of «Education et Développement» in Abomey, Benin; and the orphanage and ...

Allograft materials in phalloplasty: a comparative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Mark P; Komlo, Caroline; Defrain, Molly

2013-09-01

Allograft use has increased recently with the rising use of allograft materials in breast surgery. There are few data that compare the performance of the various allograft materials in this application, despite marketing efforts by the manufacturers to present one allograft material as superior to another. Phalloplasty is a procedure that uses allografts for penis girth augmentation. Preparation of these grafts differs with each manufacturer. We report our experience with 3 different types of allografts for this procedure. This allows for the comparison of these materials in their performance with a single model. Forty-seven patients who underwent penis girth enhancement with allograft material were reviewed. All patients underwent circumferential grafting to the shaft of the penis at the level of Buck's fascia. Graft materials included AlloDerm (n = 9), Belladerm (n = 20), and Repriza (n = 21). Charts were reviewed for material type, presence and type of infection, wound exposure, and graft loss with attention to the type of allograft material that was used. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 120 months with an average of 11.25 months. Infection, defined as an open wound with graft exposure, occurred in 20 (42%) of 47 patients. Of these, graft exposure only occurred in 17 (36%) patients, whereas 3 (6%) patients sustained total graft loss. Graft exposure or loss occurred in 3 patients who had AlloDerm, 9 patients with Belladerm, and 8 patients with Repriza. No patients with AlloDerm sustained graft loss, whereas 2 patients with Belladerm and 1 patient with Repriza sustained graft loss. There were no statistical differences among these graft types with regard to infection or graft loss. Three different brands of allograft material were used in 1 surgical procedure and followed up for their performance with regard to exposure and infection. In this model, there is no difference in the rate of infection in these materials despite their different methods of preparation

The Performance of Short-Term Heart Rate Variability in the Detection of Congestive Heart Failure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fausto Lucena

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Congestive heart failure (CHF is a cardiac disease associated with the decreasing capacity of the cardiac output. It has been shown that the CHF is the main cause of the cardiac death around the world. Some works proposed to discriminate CHF subjects from healthy subjects using either electrocardiogram (ECG or heart rate variability (HRV from long-term recordings. In this work, we propose an alternative framework to discriminate CHF from healthy subjects by using HRV short-term intervals based on 256 RR continuous samples. Our framework uses a matching pursuit algorithm based on Gabor functions. From the selected Gabor functions, we derived a set of features that are inputted into a hybrid framework which uses a genetic algorithm and k-nearest neighbour classifier to select a subset of features that has the best classification performance. The performance of the framework is analyzed using both Fantasia and CHF database from Physionet archives which are, respectively, composed of 40 healthy volunteers and 29 subjects. From a set of nonstandard 16 features, the proposed framework reaches an overall accuracy of 100% with five features. Our results suggest that the application of hybrid frameworks whose classifier algorithms are based on genetic algorithms has outperformed well-known classifier methods.

Experience With a Long-term Pulsatile Ventricular Assist Device as a Bridge to Heart Transplant in Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez Bueno, Manuel; Segovia Cubero, Javier; Serrano Fiz, Santiago; Ugarte Basterrechea, Juan; Hernández Pérez, Francisco José; Goirigolzarri Artaza, Josebe; Castedo Mejuto, Evaristo; Burgos Lázaro, Raúl; García Montero, Carlos; Moñivas Palomero, Vanessa; Mingo Santos, Susana; González Román, Ana Isabel; Álvarez Avelló, José Manuel; Vidal Fernández, Mercedes; Forteza Gil, Alberto; Alonso-Pulpón, Luis

2017-09-01

Most long-term ventricular assist devices (VADs) that are currently implanted are intracorporeal continuous-flow devices. Their main limitations include their high cost and inability to provide biventricular support. The aim of this study was to describe the results of using paracorporeal pulsatile-flow VADs as a bridge to transplant (BTT) in adult patients. Retrospective analysis of the characteristics, complications, and outcomes of a single-center case series of consecutive patients treated with the EXCOR VAD as BTT between 2009 and 2015. During the study period, 25 VADs were implanted, 6 of them biventricular. Ventricular assist devices were indicated directly as a BTT in 12 patients and as a bridge to decision in 13 due to the presence of potentially reversible contraindications or chance of heart function recovery. Twenty patients (80%) were successfully bridged to heart transplant after a median of 112 days (range, 8-239). The main complications included infectious (52% of patients), neurological events (32%, half of them fatal), bleeding (28%), and VAD malfunction requiring component replacement (28%). Eighty percent of patients with the EXCOR VAD as BTT achieved the goal after an average of almost 4 months of support. The most frequent complications were infectious, and the most severe were neurological. In our enivonment, the use of these pulsatile-flow VAD as BTT is a feasible strategy that obtains similar outcomes to those of intracorporeal continuous-flow devices. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and long-term mortality in stable coronary heart disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kragelund, Charlotte; Grønning, Bjørn; Køber, Lars

2005-01-01

quartile was 2.4 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.5 to 4.0; Pfamily history with respect to ischemic heart disease; the presence or absence of a history......-term mortality in patients with stable coronary disease and provides prognostic information above and beyond that provided by conventional cardiovascular risk factors and the degree of left ventricular systolic dysfunction....

The long-term consequences of previous hyperthyroidism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjelm Brandt Kristensen, Frans

2015-01-01

Thyroid hormones affect every cell in the human body, and the cardiovascular changes associated with increased levels of thyroid hormones are especially well described. As an example, short-term hyperthyroidism has positive chronotropic and inotropic effects on the heart, leading to a hyperdynamic...... with CVD, LD and DM both before and after the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. Although the design used does not allow a stringent distinction between cause and effect, the findings indicate a possible direct association between hyperthyroidism and these morbidities, or vice versa....... vascular state. While it is biologically plausible that these changes may induce long-term consequences, the insight into morbidity as well as mortality in patients with previous hyperthyroidism is limited. The reasons for this are a combination of inadequately powered studies, varying definitions...

Magnetic resonance imaging of massive bone allografts with histologic correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeffner, E.G.; Soulen, R.L.; Ryan, J.R.; Qureshi, F.

1996-01-01

The objective of this study was to better understand the MRI appearance of massive bone allografts. The MRI findings of three massive bone allografts imaged in vivo were correlated with the histologic findings following removal of the allografts. A fourth allograft, never implanted, was imaged and evaluated histologically. Allografts were placed for the treatment of primary or recurrent osteosarcoma. The in-vivo allografts have a heterogeneous appearance on MRI which we attribute to the revascularization process. Fibrovascular connective tissue grows into the graft in a patchy, focal fashion, down the medullary canal from the graft-host junction and adjacent to the periosteum. The marrow spaces are initially devoid of normal cellular elements and occupied by fat and gelatinous material. This normal postoperative appearance of massive bone allografts must not be interpreted as recurrent neoplasm or infection in the allograft. Recognition of these complications rests on features outside the marrow. (orig./MG)

[Effects of long-term Tai Ji Quan exercise on automatic nervous modulation in the elderly].

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Feng

2015-03-01

To examine the effects of long-term Tai Ji Quan (Chinnese Traditional Exercise) on automatic nervous modulation in the elders. The 18 subjects from Tai Ji Quan exercise class in Liaoning University of Retired Veteran Cadres were assigned into long-term Tai Ji Quan exercise group including 10 subjects and novice group including 8 subjects. Electrocardiography, respiratory and blood pressure data were collected on the following time points: at rest before Tai Ji Qhuan exercise and 30 min or 60 min after Tai Ji Quan exercise. The subjects at rest state in the long-term Tai Ji Quan exercise group showed higher than the subjects in the novice group in resperitory rate (RR), standard deviations of normal to normal intervals (SDNN), total power (TP), low frequency power (LFP), high frequency power (HFP), normalized high frequency power (nHFP), but lower in LFP/HFP, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate. At rest state the respiratory rate of subjects in long-term Tai Ji Quan exercise group was significantly lower than the novices. After Tai Ji Quan exercise, TP, nHFP, LFP/HFP, heart rate and systolic pressure showed significantly changes, and the change level of Tai Ji Quan on these indices was larger in Tai Ji Quan exercise group than that in the novice group. Long-term Tai Ji Quan exercise can improve vagal modulations, and tend to reduce the sympathetic modulations.

Irradiated strut allografts for reconstructing tumour defects: how effective?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astrid Lobo Gajiwala; Manish Agarwal; Ajay Puri; Cynthia D Lima

2008-01-01

Full text: Allografts are biological options for reconstructing large bone defects. We report our experience with 87 irradiated (25 kGy of gamma radiation) strut allografts used in various defects following tumour surgery. Reconstruction in 35 full segment defects involved 22 full segment allografts used alone, 4 allograft prosthetic composites (APC) and 9 allografts combined with a vascularized fibula. Twelve partial segment defects were reconstructed with allograft struts (including 2 APC). Full segment allograft struts (mainly fibulae) were used in 40 contained post-curettage defects. The cases were studied for time to incorporation and complications. The follow-up ranged from 12 to 72 months. Of the 26 full segment defects where allograft alone or APC was used, 2 were lost to follow-up, 5 died before incorporation and 3 grafts were removed (2 infection and 1 local recurrence). Six united primarily at 2-4 years. Seven patients with non union were autografted at both junctions resulting in 6 unions. One patient had early plate breakage and refused further treatment. One allograft fractured after union after autografting. Two of 4 APC also united. In contrast, the 9 allograft-vascularized fibula combinations showed unambiguous incorporation between 5-9 months with only one junction requiring bone grafting. Of the 12 partial segment struts, barring one removed for infection, 11 have completely incorporated. Thirty one out of 40 struts placed within contained post curettage defects have incorporated (2 removed for infection and seven lost to follow-up). There were total 6 infections (7%) 4 of which occurred 1-2 years after surgery. Irradiated full segment struts alone incorporate poorly and are best used combined with a live fibula. Irradiated full and partial segment allografts used inside contained defects give consistently good results. Frozen grafts seem to incorporate faster and better than lyophilised grafts. (Author)

Repeated measurements of NT-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, troponin T or C-reactive protein do not predict future allograft rejection in heart transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Battes, Linda C; Caliskan, Kadir; Rizopoulos, Dimitris; Constantinescu, Alina A; Robertus, Jan L; Akkerhuis, Martijn; Manintveld, Olivier C; Boersma, Eric; Kardys, Isabella

2015-03-01

Studies on the prognostic value of serial biomarker assays for future occurrence of allograft rejection (AR) are scarce. We examined whether repeated measurements of NT-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), troponin T (TropT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) predict AR. From 2005 to 2010, 77 consecutive heart transplantation (HTx) recipients were included. The NT-proBNP, TropT, and CRP were measured at 16 ± 4 (mean ± standard deviation) consecutive routine endomyocardial biopsy surveillance visits during the first year of follow-up. Allograft rejection was defined as International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) grade 2R or higher at endomyocardial biopsy. Joint modeling was used to assess the association between repeated biomarker measurements and occurrence of future AR. Joint modeling accounts for dependence among repeated observations in individual patients. The mean age of the patients at HTx was 49 ± 9.2 years, and 68% were men. During the first year of follow-up, 1,136 biopsies and concurrent blood samples were obtained, and 56 patients (73%) experienced at least one episode of AR. All biomarkers were elevated directly after HTx and achieved steady-state after ∼ 12 weeks, both in patients with or without AR. No associations were present between the repeated measurements of NT-proBNP, TropT, or CRP and AR both early (weeks 0-12) and late (weeks 13-52) in the course after HTx (hazard ratios for weeks 13-52: 0.96 (95% confidence interval, 0.55-1.68), 0.67 (0.27-1.69), and 1.44 (0.90-2.30), respectively, per ln[unit]). Combining the three biomarkers in one model also rendered null results. The temporal evolution of NT-proBNP, TropT, and CRP before AR did not predict occurrence of acute AR both in the early and late course of the first year after HTx.

Detection of rejection of canine orthotopic cardiac allografts with indium-111 lymphocytes and gamma scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisen, H.J.; Rosenbloom, M.; Laschinger, J.C.; Saffitz, J.E.; Cox, J.L.; Sobel, B.E.; Bolman, R.M. III; Bergmann, S.R.

1988-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of detecting canine heterotopic cardiac allograft rejection scintigraphically after administration of 111In lymphocytes. To determine whether the approach is capable of detecting rejection in orthotopic cardiac transplants in which labeled lymphocytes circulating in the blood pool may reduce sensitivity, the present study was performed in which canine orthotopic cardiac transplants were evaluated in vivo. Immunosuppression was maintained with cyclosporine A (10-20 mg/kg/day) and prednisone (1 mg/kg/day) for 2 wk after transplantation. Subsequently, therapy was tapered. Five successful allografts were evaluated scintigraphically every 3 days after administration of 100-350 microCi 111In autologous lymphocytes. Correction for labeled lymphocytes circulating in the blood pool, but not actively sequestered in the allografts was accomplished by administering 3-6 mCi 99mTc autologous erythrocytes and employing a previously validated blood-pool activity correction technique. Cardiac infiltration of labeled lymphocytes was quantified as percent indium excess (%IE), scintigraphically detectable 111In in the transplant compared with that in blood, and results were compared with those of concomitantly performed endomyocardial biopsy. Scintigraphic %IE for hearts not undergoing rejection manifest histologically was 0.7 +/- 0.4. Percent IE for rejecting hearts was 6.8 +/- 4.0 (p less than 0.05). Scintigraphy detected each episode of rejection detected by biopsy. Scintigraphic criteria for rejection (%IE greater than 2 s.d. above normal) were not manifest in any study in which biopsies did not show rejection. Since scintigraphic results with 111In-labeled lymphocytes were concordant with biopsy results in orthotopic cardiac transplants, noninvasive detection of graft rejection in patients should be attainable with the approach developed

Acellular Nerve Allografts in Peripheral Nerve Regeneration: A Comparative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Amy M.; MacEwan, Matthew; Santosa, Katherine B.; Chenard, Kristofer E.; Ray, Wilson Z.; Hunter, Daniel A.; Mackinnon, Susan E.; Johnson, Philip J.

2011-01-01

Background Processed nerve allografts offer a promising alternative to nerve autografts in the surgical management of peripheral nerve injuries where short deficits exist. Methods Three established models of acellular nerve allograft (cold-preserved, detergent-processed, and AxoGen® -processed nerve allografts) were compared to nerve isografts and silicone nerve guidance conduits in a 14 mm rat sciatic nerve defect. Results All acellular nerve grafts were superior to silicone nerve conduits in support of nerve regeneration. Detergent-processed allografts were similar to isografts at 6 weeks post-operatively, while AxoGen®-processed and cold-preserved allografts supported significantly fewer regenerating nerve fibers. Measurement of muscle force confirmed that detergent-processed allografts promoted isograft-equivalent levels of motor recovery 16 weeks post-operatively. All acellular allografts promoted greater amounts of motor recovery compared to silicone conduits. Conclusions These findings provide evidence that differential processing for removal of cellular constituents in preparing acellular nerve allografts affects recovery in vivo. PMID:21660979

Radionuclide surveillance of the allografted pancreas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

George, E.A.; Salimi, Z.; Carney, K.; Castaneda, M.; Garvin, P.J.

1988-01-01

To determine the value of scintigraphy to detect posttransplantation complications of the allografted pancreas, we retrospectively reviewed 209 scintigrams obtained with /sup 99m/Tc-sulfur colloid (/sup 99m/Tc-SC) and /sup 99m/Tc-glucoheptonate (/sup 99m/Tc-GH). The scintigraphic studies were performed in 37 recipients of simultaneous renal and pancreatic allografts harvested from the same donor. /sup 99m/Tc-SC was used as an indicator of thrombotic vasculitis; pancreatic perfusion and blood-pool parameters were monitored with /sup 99m/Tc-GH. In 11 of the 37 recipients, scintigraphic abnormalities suggested posttransplantation infarction. Recurrent episodes of acute rejection of the pancreatic allograft, which always coincided with acute rejection of the renal allograft, were monitored in 24 recipients. Rejection-induced ischemic pancreatitis was suggested in 12 of the 24 recipients and persisted in 10 recipients for several weeks after improvement of renal allograft rejection. Pancreatic atrophy was suggested scintigraphically in 16 of the 24 recipients with recurrent episodes of rejection. Spontaneous pancreatic-duct obstruction and obstructive pancreatitis were associated with a scintigraphic pattern similar to that of rejection-induced ischemic pancreatitis. We concluded that the specific radionuclides used in this series are useful for the surveillance and assessment of posttransplantation pancreatic infarction, acute rejection, pancreatitis, and atrophy

Evaluation of blood flow in Allograft Renal Arteries anastomosed with two different techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zomorrodi, A.; Bohluli, A.; Tarzamany, M.K.

2008-01-01

Renal artery stenosis in renal transplantation (TRAS) is an avoidable short or long term surgical complication. The etiology is multifactorial, but faulty anastomosis is a major factor. In our transplant center, we evaluated the incidence of TRAS with the use of two different suturing techniques of the anastomosis site between allograft renal and renal and iliac arteries in two groups of renal transplant recipients, group A: 14 patients (6 males and 8 females with age 16 to 59 and mean age of 38 years) in whom allograft arteries were anastomosed with a continuous suture technique and group B: 14 patients (7 males and 7 females with age 32 to 61 and mean age of 46.6 years) in whom the allograft arteries were anastomosed with a combined suture technique (continuous and uninterrupted. Post transplantation, the velocity of blood flow in the renal and iliac arteries at the site of anastomosis was measured by color Doppler ultrasound. The ultrasonographer was blinded to the surgical technique in both study groups. The ratio of the maximum velocity of blood at the site of anastomosis to that in the iliac artery of less than 2.5 was considered as non-significant stenosis, while a ratio of more than 2.5 was considered significant stenosis. In group A there were 9 cases of non-significant stenosis in comparison to 3 cases in group B, while there were no cases of significant stenosis in group A in comparison to 3 cases in group B; the difference was not statistically significant. We conclude that there was no difference in the compared surgical techniques of anastomosis in our study groups. This suggests that other factors such as gentle handling of tissue, enough spatula, margin reversion and comparable diameter of the anastomosed vessels may be more important in the prevention of renal allograft stenosis than the type of suture technique. (author)

Histopathology Image Analysis in Two Long-Term Animal Experiments with Helical Flow Total Artificial Heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Wotke, Jiri; Homolka, Pavel; Vasku, Jaromír; Dobsak, Petr; Palanova, Petra; Mrkvicova, Veronika; Konecny, Petr; Soska, Vladimir; Pohanka, Michal; Novakova, Marie; Yurimoto, Terumi; Saito, Itsuro; Inoue, Yusuke; Isoyama, Takashi; Abe, Yusuke

2016-12-01

Histopathological analysis can provide important information in long-term experiments with total artificial heart (TAH). Recently, a new type of blood pump, the helical flow total artificial heart (HF-TAH) was developed. This study aimed to investigate the changes in selected vital organs in animal experiments with implanted HF-TAH. Samples from lung, liver, and kidneys from two female goats (No. 1301 and No. 1304) with implanted HF-TAH were analyzed. Tissue samples were fixed in 10% formaldehyde and 4 µm thick transverse sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE). Additional staining was done for detection of connective tissue (Masson-Goldner stain) and for detection of iron (hemosiderin) deposits (Perls stain). Sections were scanned at 100× and 500× magnification with a light microscope. Experiment no. 1301 survived 100 days (cause of termination was heavy damage of the right pump); experimental goat no.1304 survived 68 days and was sacrificed due to severe right hydrodynamic bearing malfunction. Histopathological analysis of liver samples proved signs of chronic venostasis with limited focal necrotic zones. Dilated tubules, proteinaceous material in tubular lumen, and hemosiderin deposits were detected in kidney samples. Contamination of the organs by embolized micro-particles was suspected at the autopsy after discovery of visible damage (scratches) of the pump impeller surface (made from titanium alloy) in both experiments. Sporadic deposits of foreign micro-particles (presumably titanium) were observed in most of the analyzed parenchymal organs. However, the described deposits were not in direct connection with inflammatory reactions in the analyzed tissues. Histopathological analysis showed the presence of minimal contamination of the lung, kidney, and liver tissue samples by foreign material (titanium very likely). The analysis showed only limited pathological changes, especially in liver and kidneys, which might be attributed to the influence of

Pathological changes after bone marrow and skin allograft transplantation in rats inflicted with severe combined radiation-burn injury

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Huaien; Cheng Tianmin; Yan Yongtang

1994-01-01

Bone marrow and skin allografts from the same donor were transplanted to rats inflicted with 8 Gy γ-radiation combined with third degree burns of 15% body surface area within 6 hr post injury. Pathological changes of hematopoietic tissues and skin allografts were studied. All injured controls died within 7 days post injury without bone marrow regeneration; 50% of treated rats survived with living skin allografts on 50th day post injury. On days 100 and 480 post operation, grafted skin still survived well on recipients with normal ultrastructure. Epidermic cells of skin allografts proliferated on day 5, developed and repaired on day 10. Histological structure of the skin returned to normal on day 30 post operation. The regeneration of bone marrow appeared on 5th day, increased markedly on day 10, and almost completed on day 15 after bone marrow transplantation. However, the regeneration of lymphocytes in cortex of spleen and lymph nodes did not appear until day 15 of BMT. The results show that bone marrow and skin allograft transplantation at early time post injury in most severe combined radiation-burn injury have tremendous beneficial effects, and the skin allograft can survive for a long time

Long-term L-Triiodothyronine (T3) treatment in stable systolic heart failure patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holmager, Pernille; Schmidt, Ulla; Mark, Peter

2015-01-01

%, range: 37-52 and serum T3 levels 1·4 nmol/l (0·9-1·6). The T3 dose was 20 μg per day (10-40). TSH levels did not change between groups, whereas serum T3 levels increased in the active arm. Cardiac function as measured by LVEF, end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and cardiac output did not change...... during T3-treatment and neither did the neurohormonal profile. There were no side-effects in terms of cardiac arrhythmias and no change in resting heart rate. CONCLUSIONS: This study does not support the hypothesis that oral T3 treatment might be beneficial to patients with chronic, stable systolic HF...

Twenty-year survivors of kidney transplantation.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Traynor, C

2012-12-01

There have been few studies of patients with renal allografts functioning for more than 20 years. We sought to identify clinical factors associated with ultra long-term (>20 year) renal allograft survival and to describe the clinical features of these patients. We performed a retrospective analysis of the Irish Renal Transplant Database and included 1174 transplants in 1002 patients. There were 255 (21.74%) patients with graft function for 20 years or more. Multivariate analysis identified recipient age (HR 1.01, CI 1.01-1.02), gender (male HR 1.25, CI 1.08-1.45), acute rejection (HR 1.26, CI 1.09-1.45) and transplant type (living related donor vs. deceased donor) (HR 0.52, CI 0.40-0.66) as significantly associated with long-term graft loss. Median serum creatinine was 115 μmol\\/L. The 5-year graft survival in 20-year survivors was 74.7%. The mean age at death was 62.7 years (±10.6). The most common causes of death were cardiovascular disease and malignancy. The two major causes of graft loss were death (with function) and interstitial fibrosis\\/tubular atrophy. Comorbidities included skin cancer (36.1%), coronary heart disease (17.3%) and other malignancies (14.5%). This study identifies factors associated with long-term allograft survival and a high rate of morbidity and early mortality in long-term transplant recipients.

Effect of age on short and long-term mortality in patients admitted to hospital with congestive heart failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gustafsson, Finn; Torp-Pedersen, Christian; Seibaek, Marie

2004-01-01

function the RR was 1.57 (1.43-1.72, multivariate analyses). CONCLUSION: The clinical characteristics of CHF patients vary considerably with age. Elderly patients hospitalised with CHF face a very grave prognosis, particularly if their heart failure symptoms are caused by LV systolic dysfunction....... dysfunction, were under treated with ACE-inhibitors and were more often female. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and ischaemic heart disease increased with age, until the oldest age group (>80 years). Age was an independent predictor of short-term mortality (risk ratio (RR) per 10-year increase was 1...

Protection against bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome is associated with allograft CCR7+ CD45RA- T regulatory cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aric L Gregson

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS is the major obstacle to long-term survival after lung transplantation, yet markers for early detection and intervention are currently lacking. Given the role of regulatory T cells (Treg in modulation of immunity, we hypothesized that frequencies of Treg in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF after lung transplantation would predict subsequent development of BOS. Seventy BALF specimens obtained from 47 lung transplant recipients were analyzed for Treg lymphocyte subsets by flow cytometry, in parallel with ELISA measurements of chemokines. Allograft biopsy tissue was stained for chemokines of interest. Treg were essentially all CD45RA(-, and total Treg frequency did not correlate to BOS outcome. The majority of Treg were CCR4(+ and CD103(- and neither of these subsets correlated to risk for BOS. In contrast, higher percentages of CCR7(+ Treg correlated to reduced risk of BOS. Additionally, the CCR7 ligand CCL21 correlated with CCR7(+ Treg frequency and inversely with BOS. Higher frequencies of CCR7(+ CD3(+CD4(+CD25(hiFoxp3(+CD45RA(- lymphocytes in lung allografts is associated with protection against subsequent development of BOS, suggesting that this subset of putative Treg may down-modulate alloimmunity. CCL21 may be pivotal for the recruitment of this distinct subset to the lung allograft and thereby decrease the risk for chronic rejection.

Application of radiation sterilization to bone allografts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Youchen; Li Baoxing; Sun Shiquan

2003-01-01

With prominent features of high penetration, no temperature increases, no harm residues and easy dose control, radiation sterilization technology is widely used in the sterilization of bone allografts. During the radiation sterilization of bone allografts, the irradiation dose should be optimized to ensure sterilization of grafts and preservation of biological properties of bone. The immunogenicity of allografts is decreased by irradiation. IAEA devoted great efforts to generalization of the radiation sterilization of tissue allografts in developing countries since 1986. Tissue Bank of China Institute for Radiation Protection (CIRP) was initially established in 1988 with the support of IAEA, afterwards restructured into Shanxi Provincial Tissue Bank (SPTB). The SPTB, as the first manufacturer of the irradiated bone allografts in the country, was granted production license by the State Food and Drug Administration of China. The SPTB sponsored IAEA/RCA Training Courses, National Symposium on Bone Grafting, and National Training Course on Bone Banking. Technique of radiation sterilization for bone grafts has become popularized in China after these activities. (authors)

Long-term in vivo imaging of multiple organs at the single cell level.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benny J Chen

Full Text Available Two-photon microscopy has enabled the study of individual cell behavior in live animals. Many organs and tissues cannot be studied, especially longitudinally, because they are located too deep, behind bony structures or too close to the lung and heart. Here we report a novel mouse model that allows long-term single cell imaging of many organs. A wide variety of live tissues were successfully engrafted in the pinna of the mouse ear. Many of these engrafted tissues maintained the normal tissue histology. Using the heart and thymus as models, we further demonstrated that the engrafted tissues functioned as would be expected. Combining two-photon microscopy with fluorescent tracers, we successfully visualized the engrafted tissues at the single cell level in live mice over several months. Four dimensional (three-dimensional (3D plus time information of individual cells was obtained from this imaging. This model makes long-term high resolution 4D imaging of multiple organs possible.

Effect of 34 kinds of traditional Japanese herbal medicines on prolongation of cardiac allograft survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, X; Uchiyama, M; Zhang, Q; Harada, T; Otsuka, K; Shimokawa, T; Niimi, M

2014-05-01

Herbal medicines have been used for over 3,000 years in Asian as alternative therapy for their variety effects and have recently become popular in Europe and the United States. In the last 30 years, Japanese herbal medicines were widely used for treatment of diseases after been recognized officially by Japanese government. In this study, we investigated the effect of 34 kinds of traditional Japanese herbal medicines on alloimmune responses in a murine model of cardiac allograft transplantation. CBA mice (H2(k)) underwent transplantation of a C57BL/6 (H2(b)) heart and received oral administration of 2 g/kg/d of the 34 kinds of herbal medicines from the day of transplantation until 7 days afterward. Naïve CBA mice rejected B6 cardiac grafts acutely (median survival time [MST], 7 days). CBA transplant recipients given 2 g/kg/d of Sairei-to (TJ-114) and Tokishakuyaku-san (TJ-23) had prolonged C57BL/6 allograft survival indefinitely (both MSTs > 100 days). Moreover, CBA transplant recipients given Seisinrensiin (TJ-111), Tokishigyakukagoshuyushokyoto (TJ-38), Rikkunshito (TJ-43), Maobushisaishinto (TJ-127), Ninjin-yoei-to (TJ-108), Ryokan-kyomi-shinge-nin-to (TJ-119), Inchingorei-san (TJ-117), Hochuekkito (TJ-41), Kihi-to (TJ-65), and Sinbu-to (TJ-30) had also prolonged C57BL/6 allograft survival significantly (MSTs of 28, 22, 16, 14, 14, 13, 12, 9.5, 9 and 9 days, respectively). However, none of other 22 kinds of herbal medicines could prolong the allograft survival. Furthermore, oral administration of 2 g/kg/d of Daikenchuto (TJ-100) induced sudden death (within 1 minute) in CBA mice. In conclusion, 12 kinds of Japanese herbal medicines prolonged allograft survival and one showed toxic effect in mice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anti-rejection effect of ethanol extract of Poria cocos wolf in rats after cardiac allograft implantation

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

张国伟; 刘宏宇; 夏求明; 李君权; 吕航; 张庆华; 姚志发

2004-01-01

Background A living fetus within the maternal uterus provides an example of allogene tolerance in mammals. Poria cocos Wolf is the main component of many Chinese medicinal combination drugs that have therapeutic effects on recurrent spontaneous abortion and that can maintain pregnancy until delivery. It was hypothesized that this herbal medicine can also prolong allograft survival after organ transplantation. Here, in an in vivo study, we report the anti-rejection effect of the ethanol extract of Poria cocos Wolf (EEPCW) in rats after cardiac allograft implantation. Methods Ten normal rats were healthy controls. Eighty rats receiving homologous heart transplants were divided into 4 groups of 20 rats each based on type of treatment: olive oil 8 ml*kg-1*d-1, EEPCW 25 mg*kg-1*d-1, EEPCW 50 mg*kg-1*d-1 or cyclosporin A 5mg*kg-1*d-1. Allograft survival was observed in 10 rats from each group. On the seventh day post transplantation, pathological lesions and percentages of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocytes and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peripheral blood were assessed in another 10 rats from each group and in 10 normal rats. Results The survival time of donor hearts in the two EEPCW groups was significantly prolonged, to (15.9±2.4) days and (30.0±0.0) days, respectively, compared with (6.7±0.8) days in the control group. Pathological lesions in the two EEPCW groups were also less severe, and the percentages of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocytes and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were significantly lower in the EEPCW groups.Conclusions Acute rejection of heart transplants and cellular immune reaction can be effectively suppressed using the EEPCW. Taking advantage of novel immunosuppressants derived from Chinese medicinal herbs used to treat abnormal pregnancy provides a hopeful road for future research and treatment in organ transplantation.

Audit of long-term and short-term liabilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Korinko M.D.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The article determines the importance of long-term and short-term liabilities for the management of financial and material resources of an enterprise. It reviews the aim, objects and information generators for realization of audit of short-term and long-term obligations. The organizing and methodical providing of audit of long-term and short-term liabilities of an enterprise are generalized. The authors distinguish the stages of realization of audit of long-term and short-term liabilities, the aim of audit on each of the presented stages, and recommend methodical techniques. It is fixed that it is necessary to conduct the estimation of the systems of internal control and record-keeping of an enterprise by implementation of public accountant procedures for determination of volume and maintenance of selection realization. After estimating the indicated systems, a public accountant determines the methodology for realization of public accountant verification of long-term and short-term liabilities. The analytical procedures that public accountants are expedient to use for realization of audit of short-term and long-term obligations are determined. The authors suggest the classification of the educed defects on the results of the conducted public accountant verification of short-term and long-term obligations.

The effect of retraining of nurses on cardiopulmonary resuscitationsuccess rate and short-term and long-term survival in patients revived

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dahi M

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR is performed in order to restore the functioning of two most important body organs the heart and brain. The present study was performed to investigate the effect of retraining of nurses on CPR success rate and short-term and long-term CPR survival. Materials and Method: The study population of the present quasi-experimental study consisted of all nurses of Taleghani Hospital affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, in 2011. The study subjects (n = 400 were selected using convenience and purposive sampling method. The patient survival rate during the first 24 hours (short-term survival and discharge from the hospital (long-term survival after CPR were reported. Then, the study subjects, in groups of 20, participated in CPR training courses. Short-term (24 hours and long-term (discharge from hospital in good mental status survival subsequent to CPR were reevaluated and compared with pre-training results. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20, and t-test and chi-square test. Results: Retraining promoted CPR success rates. This increase in the short-term success rate was not significant, but the increase in long-term success rate was statistically significant (P = 0.007. Conclusion: Periodic retraining of nurses may improve CPR success rate particularly long-term survival or discharge from hospital. Therefore, further studies on long-term success of CPR considering confounding factors are recommended

Relationship between natriuretic peptides and inflammation: proteomic evidence obtained during acute cellular cardiac allograft rejection in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Meirovich, Yael F; Veinot, John P; de Bold, Mercedes L Kuroski; Haddad, Haissam; Davies, Ross A; Masters, Roy G; Hendry, Paul J; de Bold, Adolfo J

2008-01-01

Cardiac natriuretic peptides (NPs) atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are polypeptide hormones secreted by the heart. Previously, we found that BNP, but not ANF, plasma levels may increase during an acute cellular cardiac allograft rejection episode. In vitro, the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) produced a selective increase of BNP gene expression and secretion. Other pro-inflammatory cytokines had no such effects. We identified cytokines associated with the selective upregulation of BNP during cardiac allograft rejection using a proteomics approach to measure 120 cytokines and related substances in the plasma of 16 transplant patients before, during and after an acute rejection episode. The values obtained were correlated with BNP plasma levels. Cytokines identified as being significantly related to BNP plasma levels were tested in neonatal rat ventricular cardiocytes in culture for their ability to selectively promote BNP secretion. The signaling pathway related to this phenomenon was pharmacologically characterized. Regulated-on-activation, normal T-expressed and secreted (RANTES), neutrophil-activating protein-2 (NAP-2) and insulin growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) had significant correlations with BNP plasma levels during Grade 3A (Grade 2 revised [2R]) or above rejection as diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy score according to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) grading system. In rat neonatal ventricular cardiocyte cultures, IGFBP-1 and RANTES were capable of promoting BNP, but not ANF secretion, as observed in rejecting patients. The BNP-promoting secretion activity of the identified cytokines was abolished by SB203580, a specific p38 MAP kinase inhibitor. This work shows that cytokines other than pro-inflammatory cytokines correlate with BNP plasma levels observed during acute cardiac allograft rejection, and that

Impact of previous vascular burden on in-hospital and long-term mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Consuegra-Sánchez, Luciano; Melgarejo-Moreno, Antonio; Galcerá-Tomás, José; Alonso-Fernández, Nuria; Díaz-Pastor, Angela; Escudero-García, Germán; Jaulent-Huertas, Leticia; Vicente-Gilabert, Marta

2014-06-01

Patients with a current acute coronary syndrome and previous ischemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and/or cerebrovascular disease are reported to have a poorer outcome than those without these previous conditions. It is uncertain whether this association with outcome is observed at long-term follow-up. Prospective observational study, including 4247 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Detailed clinical data and information on previous ischemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and cerebrovascular disease ("vascular burden") were recorded. Multivariate models were performed for in-hospital and long-term (median, 7.2 years) all-cause mortality. One vascular territory was affected in 1131 (26.6%) patients and ≥ 2 territories in 221 (5.2%). The total in-hospital mortality rate was 12.3% and the long-term incidence density was 3.5 deaths per 100 patient-years. A background of previous ischemic heart disease (odds ratio = 0.83; P = .35), peripheral arterial disease (odds ratio = 1.30; P = .34), or cerebrovascular disease (stroke) (odds ratio = 1.15; P = .59) was not independently predictive of in-hospital death. In an adjusted model, previous cerebrovascular disease and previous peripheral arterial disease were both predictors of mortality at long-term follow-up (hazard ratio = 1.57; P cerebrovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease were predictors of mortality at long-term after hospital discharge. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Splenic microenvironment and self recognition as factors in allograft rejection in rats. A study using indium-111-labeled cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollak, R.; Blanchard, J.M.; Lazda, V.A.

1986-01-01

Splenectomy facilitates organ allograft survival in some rat strains, and in weak donor-recipient histoincompatible pairs. We have found using a heart spleen twin graft model, using ACI rats as recipients and Lewis rats as donors, that the transplanted heart will survive in most recipients after delayed host splenectomy. The presence of a viable mass of splenic tissue will allow rejection to proceed only when the transplanted spleen is of host origin, and not when it comes from the donor (i.e., when it is allogeneic). The use of 111In-labeled cells has allowed us to show that lymphocyte traffic and trapping is markedly altered in the transplanted allogeneic spleens, when compared with control transplanted syngeneic spleens. Thus, despite the presence of the splenic ''microenvironment,'' cardiac allograft rejection does not occur in the absence of syngeneic splenic tissue. We conclude that the role of the spleen in the immune response is to facilitate the recognition of self and the acquisition of alloreactivity in weak responder rat strains and donor-recipient pairs

Telehealth Interventions to Support Self-Management of Long-Term Conditions: A Systematic Metareview of Diabetes, Heart Failure, Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanlon, Peter; Daines, Luke; Campbell, Christine; McKinstry, Brian; Weller, David; Pinnock, Hilary

2017-05-17

Self-management support is one mechanism by which telehealth interventions have been proposed to facilitate management of long-term conditions. The objectives of this metareview were to (1) assess the impact of telehealth interventions to support self-management on disease control and health care utilization, and (2) identify components of telehealth support and their impact on disease control and the process of self-management. Our goal was to synthesise evidence for telehealth-supported self-management of diabetes (types 1 and 2), heart failure, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cancer to identify components of effective self-management support. We performed a metareview (a systematic review of systematic reviews) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of telehealth interventions to support self-management in 6 exemplar long-term conditions. We searched 7 databases for reviews published from January 2000 to May 2016 and screened identified studies against eligibility criteria. We weighted reviews by quality (revised A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews), size, and relevance. We then combined our results in a narrative synthesis and using harvest plots. We included 53 systematic reviews, comprising 232 unique RCTs. Reviews concerned diabetes (type 1: n=6; type 2, n=11; mixed, n=19), heart failure (n=9), asthma (n=8), COPD (n=8), and cancer (n=3). Findings varied between and within disease areas. The highest-weighted reviews showed that blood glucose telemonitoring with feedback and some educational and lifestyle interventions improved glycemic control in type 2, but not type 1, diabetes, and that telemonitoring and telephone interventions reduced mortality and hospital admissions in heart failure, but these findings were not consistent in all reviews. Results for the other conditions were mixed, although no reviews showed evidence of harm. Analysis of the mediating role of self-management, and of components of successful

Musculoskeletal allograft risks and recalls in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Mroz, Thomas E; Joyce, Michael J; Steinmetz, Michael P; Lieberman, Isador H; Wang, Jeffrey C

2008-10-01

There have been several improvements to the US tissue banking industry over the past decade. Tissue banks had limited active government regulation until 1993, at which time the US Food and Drug Administration began regulatory oversight because of reports of disease transmission from allograft tissues. Reports in recent years of disease transmission associated with the use of allografts have further raised concerns about the safety of such implants. A retrospective review of allograft recall data was performed to analyze allograft recall by tissue type, reason, and year during the period from January 1994 to June 30, 2007. During the study period, more than 96.5% of all allograft tissues recalled were musculoskeletal. The reasons underlying recent musculoskeletal tissue recalls include insufficient or improper donor evaluation, contamination, recipient infection, and positive serologic tests. Infectious disease transmission following allograft implantation may occur if potential donors are not adequately evaluated or screened serologically during the prerecovery phase and if the implant is not sterilized before implantation.

DIFFERENTIAL IMPACT OF HLA-A, HLA-B AND HLA-DR COMPATIBILITY ON THE RENAL ALLOGRAFT SURVIVAL

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V. Y. Abramov

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We studied the long-term results of 532 deceased donor kidney transplantations to investigate the impact of HLA match on the survival of renal allograft. All transplants were performed in our center in 1996–2009 and moni- tored prospectively for 1–14 years. We found, the survival of 58 kidneys grafted with 0–2 mismatch for HLA- ABDR to be significantly better (Plogrank = 0,016 than the survival of the kidneys grafted with 3–6 HLA-ABDR mismatch. The full compatibility for HLA-A (n = 75 did not influence the long-term survival (Plogrank = 0,48. The absence of HLA-DR mismatch had a beneficial effect for survival of 68 kidneys (Plogrank = 0,07. Eighteen cases with the full HLA-B compatibility between graft and recipient demonstrated excellent long-term survival (Plogrank = 0,007. HLA-B compatibility influenced significantly (P = 0,042 the survival of transplanted kidney in the Cox regression model adjusted for donor and recipient age, panel-reactive antibody level, re-transplant, and immunosuppression protocol. The data obtained support the conclusion, that HLA compatibility should be one of the criteria of deceased donor kidney allocation. 

Outcomes of Renal Allograft Recipients With Hepatitis C.

Science.gov (United States)

Carpio, R; Pamugas, G E; Danguilan, R; Que, E

2016-04-01

Studies on the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection showed decreased graft survival compared to HCV-negative matched patients. It was also identified as an independent risk factor for graft loss and mortality in kidney transplantation patients. This study was designed to evaluate the 10-year graft and patient outcomes of renal allograft recipients with HCV infection at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute. This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent renal transplantation with HCV infection and a group who were HCV-negative in the same post-transplantation period. Data were gathered from the in-patient and out-patient clinic records. Patient survival was significantly lower in the HCV-positive than in the HCV-negative group. The mean duration of patient survival was 154.95 (+4.95) months (12 years and 10 months) in HCV-negative patients compared to 141 (+6.52) months (11 years and 9 months) in the HCV-positive group (P = .05). Graft survival did not differ significantly between HCV-positive and HCV-negative recipients (P = .734). The mean duration of graft survival was 137 (+7.68) months (11 years and 5 months) in HCV-negative patients compared to 130 (+6.84) months (10 years and 10 months) in HCV-positive patients. Short- and long-term outcomes including biopsy-proven acute rejection, transplant glomerulopathy, chronic allograft nephropathy, renal function, and proteinuria were similar in both groups. Rejection, glomerulopathy, and renal function were similar in both groups. HCV progression was also observed in patients with detectable HCV-RNA 6 months before transplantation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Short-term and long-term fetal heart rate variability after amnioinfusion treatment of oligohydramnios complicated pregnancy].

Science.gov (United States)

Machalski, T; Sikora, J; Bakon, I; Magnucki, J; Grzesiak-Kubica, E; Szkodny, E

2001-12-01

Results of computerised analysis of cardiotocograms obtained in the group of 21 pregnancies complicated by idiopathic oligohydramnios are presented in the study. Amnioinfusion procedures were administered serially in local anesthesia with ultrasound and colour Doppler control on the base of oligohydramnios criteria by Phelan. The analysis was based on KOMPOR software created by ITAM Zabrze based on PC computer connected to Hewlett-Packard Series 50A cardiotocograph. Significant short-term variability increase just after amnioinfusion procedure from 5.55 ms to 8.24 ms and after 24 hours up to 7.25 ms was found, while significant long-term variability values changes were not observed.

Short and long-term labour market consequences of coronary heart disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kruse, Marie; Sørensen, Jan; Davidsen, Michael

2009-01-01

National Cohort study and were followed from the year of their first hospital admission for CHD and onwards for up to 23 years. Individuals with CHD were individually matched with individuals without CHD. We analysed their short-term labour market participation and compared the long-term withdrawal risk...... for the two groups through Cox regression. RESULTS: In the year after the first CHD-related admission, 79% of individuals with CHD maintained their labour force participation compared with 93% of individuals without CHD. Individuals with CHD had a hazard ratio of 1.32 for withdrawal compared...... cardiac rehabilitation, which aims to maintain labour market participation. CONCLUSION: Individuals with CHD have a significantly increased risk of withdrawing from the labour market. Especially younger individuals and those employed as manual labour seem to have greater problems in maintaining labour...

Magnetic resonance imaging with superparamagnetic iron oxide fails to track the long-term fate of mesenchymal stem cells transplanted into heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ning; Cheng, Huaibing; Lu, Minjie; Liu, Qiong; Chen, Xiuyu; Yin, Gang; Zhu, Hao; Zhang, Lianfeng; Meng, Xianmin; Tang, Yue; Zhao, Shihua

2015-03-12

MRI for in vivo stem cell tracking remains controversial. Here we tested the hypothesis that MRI can track the long-term fate of the superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles labelled mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) following intramyocardially injection in AMI rats. MSCs (1 × 10(6)) from male rats doubly labeled with SPIO and DAPI were injected 2 weeks after myocardial infarction. The control group received cell-free media injection. In vivo serial MRI was performed at 24 hours before cell delivery (baseline), 3 days, 1, 2, and 4 weeks after cell delivery, respectively. Serial follow-up MRI demonstrated large persistent intramyocardial signal-voids representing SPIO during the follow-up of 4 weeks, and MSCs did not moderate the left ventricular dysfunction. The TUNEL analysis confirmed that MSCs engrafted underwent apoptosis. The histopathological studies revealed that the site of cell injection was infiltrated by inflammatory cells progressively and the iron-positive cells were macrophages identified by CD68 staining, but very few or no DAPI-positive stem cells at 4 weeks after cells transplantation. The presence of engrafted cells was confirmed by real-time PCR, which showed that the amount of Y-chromosome-specific SRY gene was consistent with the results. MRI may not reliably track the long-term fate of SPIO-labeled MSCs engraftment in heart.

How long do the short-term violent video game effects last?

Science.gov (United States)

Barlett, Christopher; Branch, Omar; Rodeheffer, Christopher; Harris, Richard

2009-01-01

How long do the effects of the initial short-term increase in aggression and physiological arousal last after violent video game play? Study 1 (N=91) had participants complete pre- and postvideo game measures of aggressive thoughts, aggressive feelings, and heart rate. Then, participants completed Time 3 measures after 4 min or 9 min of delay. Study 2 employed a similar procedure, but had participants (N=91) complete the hot sauce paradigm to assess aggressive behavior after a 0, 5, or 10 min delay. First, results indicated that aggressive feelings, aggressive thoughts, aggressive behavior, and heart rate initially increased after violent video game play. Second, results of the delay condition revealed that the increase in aggressive feelings and aggressive thoughts lasted less than 4 min, whereas heart rate and aggressive behavior lasted 4-9 min. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Long-term follow-up study and long-term care of childhood cancer survivors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyeon Jin Park

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The number of long-term survivors is increasing in the western countries due to remarkable improvements in the treatment of childhood cancer. The long-term complications of childhood cancer survivors in these countries were brought to light by the childhood cancer survivor studies. In Korea, the 5-year survival rate of childhood cancer patients is approaching 70%; therefore, it is extremely important to undertake similar long-term follow-up studies and comprehensive long-term care for our population. On the basis of the experiences of childhood cancer survivorship care of the western countries and the current Korean status of childhood cancer survivors, long-term follow-up study and long-term care systems need to be established in Korea in the near future. This system might contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of childhood cancer survivors through effective intervention strategies.

Long-term interleukin-6 levels and subsequent risk of coronary heart disease: two new prospective studies and a systematic review.

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John Danesh

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The relevance to coronary heart disease (CHD of cytokines that govern inflammatory cascades, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6, may be underestimated because such mediators are short acting and prone to fluctuations. We evaluated associations of long-term circulating IL-6 levels with CHD risk (defined as nonfatal myocardial infarction [MI] or fatal CHD in two population-based cohorts, involving serial measurements to enable correction for within-person variability. We updated a systematic review to put the new findings in context.Measurements were made in samples obtained at baseline from 2,138 patients who had a first-ever nonfatal MI or died of CHD during follow-up, and from 4,267 controls in two cohorts comprising 24,230 participants. Correction for within-person variability was made using data from repeat measurements taken several years apart in several hundred participants. The year-to-year variability of IL-6 values within individuals was relatively high (regression dilution ratios of 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28-0.53, over 4 y, and 0.35, 95% CI 0.23-0.48, over 12 y. Ignoring this variability, we found an odds ratio for CHD, adjusted for several established risk factors, of 1.46 (95% CI 1.29-1.65 per 2 standard deviation (SD increase of baseline IL-6 values, similar to that for baseline C-reactive protein. After correction for within-person variability, the odds ratio for CHD was 2.14 (95% CI 1.45-3.15 with long-term average ("usual" IL-6, similar to those for some established risk factors. Increasing IL-6 levels were associated with progressively increasing CHD risk. An updated systematic review of electronic databases and other sources identified 15 relevant previous population-based prospective studies of IL-6 and clinical coronary outcomes (i.e., MI or coronary death. Including the two current studies, the 17 available prospective studies gave a combined odds ratio of 1.61 (95% CI 1.42-1.83 per 2 SD increase in baseline IL-6

Does long term sport rock climbing training affect on echocardiography and heart rate variability in sedentary adults? A randomized, and controlled study.

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Aras Dicle

2016-03-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Regular physical activity can cause some long term effects on human body. The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of sport rock climbing (SRC training at 70 % HRmax level on echocardiography (ECHO and heart rate variability (HRV for one hour a day and three days a week in an eight-week period. A total of 19 adults participated in this study voluntarily. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups as experimental (EG and control (CG. While the EG went and did climbing training by using the top-rope method for 60 minutes a day, three days a week for 8 weeks and didn’t join any other physical activity programs, CG didn’t train and take part in any physical activity during the course of the study. Same measurements were repeated at the end of eight weeks. According to the findings, no significant change was observed in any of the ECHO and HRV parameters. However, an improvement was seen in some HRV parameters [average heart rate (HRave, standard deviation of all NN intervals (SDNN, standard deviation of the averages of NN intervals in all five-minute segments of the entire recording (SDANN, percent of difference between adjacent NN intervals that are greater than 50 ms (PNN50, square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent NN interval (RMSSD] in EG. An exercise program based on SRC should be made more than eight weeks in order to have statistically significant changes with the purpose of observing an improvement in heart structure and functions. Keywords: Echocardiography, heart rate variability, sport rock climbing

Effect of infectious diseases on outcome after heart transplant

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Beek, Diederik; Kremers, Walter K.; del Pozo, Jose L.; Daly, Richard C.; Edwards, Brooks S.; McGregor, Christopher G. A.; Patel, Robin

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine how often cardiac allograft recipients develop infectious diseases and how the infections affect these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 313 patients who underwent heart transplant at Mayo Clinic's site in Rochester, MN, from January 1, 1988, through

Surgical techniques and radiological findings of meniscus allograft transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hoseok; Lee, Sang Yub; Na, Young Gon; Kim, Sung Kwan; Yi, Jae Hyuck; Lim, Jae Kwang; Lee, So Mi

2016-08-01

Meniscus allograft transplantation has been performed over the past 25 years to relieve knee pain and improve knee function in patients with an irreparable meniscus injury. The efficacy and safety of meniscus allograft transplantation have been established in numerous experimental and clinical researches. However, there is a lack of reviews to aid radiologists who are routinely interpreting images and evaluating the outcome of the procedures, and also meniscus allograft transplantation is not widely performed in most hospitals. This review focuses on the indications of the procedure, the different surgical techniques used for meniscus allograft transplantation according to the involvement of the lateral and medial meniscus, and the associated procedures. The postoperative radiological findings and surgical complications of the meniscus allograft transplantation are also described in detail. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The safety of bone allografts used in dentistry: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Holtzclaw, Dan; Toscano, Nicholas; Eisenlohr, Lisa; Callan, Don

2008-09-01

Recent media reports concerning "stolen body parts" have shaken the public's trust in the safety of and the use of ethical practices involving human allografts. The authors provide a comprehensive review of the safety aspects of human bone allografts. The authors reviewed U.S. government regulations, industry standards, independent industry association guidelines, company guidelines and scientific articles related to the use of human bone allografts in the practice of dentistry published in the English language. The use of human bone allografts in the practice of dentistry involves the steps of procurement, processing, use and tracking. Rigorous donor screening and aseptic proprietary processing programs have rendered the use of human bone allografts safe and effective as a treatment option. When purchasing human bone allografts for the practice of dentistry, one should choose products accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks for meeting uniformly high safety and quality control measures. Knowledge of human bone allograft procurement, processing, use and tracking procedures may allow dental clinicians to better educate their patients and address concerns about this valuable treatment option.

FEATURES OF LONG-TERM MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT WITH CONTINUOUS-FLOW PUMP

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G. P. Itkin

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In a review of the comparative analysis of methods and tools for long-term mechanical circulatory support with continuous flow and pulsatile flow implantable pumps. Particular attention is paid to the choice of the optimal modes of the operation of pumps based on the physical principles of the interaction between a the steady flow of blood to the pulsatile mechanics of the heart chambers. 

The treatment of peripheral nerve injuries using irradiated allografts and temporary host immunosuppression (in a rat model)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Easterling, K.J.; Trumble, T.E. (Yale Univ. School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (USA))

1990-10-01

Irradiation of allografts prior to transplantation and host immunosuppression with cyclosporin-A were studied separately and in combination as means of lessening the rejection of transplanted peripheral nerve tissue. Lewis and Brown Norway rats were used in the animal model, as they differ at both major and minor histocompatibility loci. Sciatic nerve grafts (2.5 cm) were used and the animals were followed for 16 weeks after nerve grafting. The outcome was studied by functional measurements (sensory testing, gait analysis, joint flexion contracture, and muscle weight), as well as by measurements of biochemical and histologic parameters (hydroxyproline concentration and axon counts, respectively). Sensory testing was not reliable because of crossover innervation by the saphenous nerve. Evaluation by standard gait-testing techniques was found to be unsatisfactory. However, the allografted animals receiving cyclosporin-A had significantly smaller flexion contractures, compared to the allografted animals without immunosuppression (17 degrees +/- 12 degrees vs. 44 degrees +/- 13 degrees and 51 degrees +/- 13 degrees, p less than 0.005). Allografted animals receiving short-term cyclosporin-A had contractures that were not significantly different from those seen in isografted control animals (17 degrees +/- 12 degrees vs. 22 degrees +/- 15 degrees, NS). Muscle hydroxyproline concentration analysis revealed a lower hydroxyproline concentration among the allografted groups that received irradiated allografts, compared to groups receiving nonirradiated allogeneic grafts. The studies of muscle hydroxyproline concentration and muscle weight both showed substantial reinnervation, even in allografted animals without pretreatment of the grafts or immunosuppression of the recipient animal.

The treatment of peripheral nerve injuries using irradiated allografts and temporary host immunosuppression (in a rat model)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Easterling, K.J.; Trumble, T.E.

1990-01-01

Irradiation of allografts prior to transplantation and host immunosuppression with cyclosporin-A were studied separately and in combination as means of lessening the rejection of transplanted peripheral nerve tissue. Lewis and Brown Norway rats were used in the animal model, as they differ at both major and minor histocompatibility loci. Sciatic nerve grafts (2.5 cm) were used and the animals were followed for 16 weeks after nerve grafting. The outcome was studied by functional measurements (sensory testing, gait analysis, joint flexion contracture, and muscle weight), as well as by measurements of biochemical and histologic parameters (hydroxyproline concentration and axon counts, respectively). Sensory testing was not reliable because of crossover innervation by the saphenous nerve. Evaluation by standard gait-testing techniques was found to be unsatisfactory. However, the allografted animals receiving cyclosporin-A had significantly smaller flexion contractures, compared to the allografted animals without immunosuppression (17 degrees +/- 12 degrees vs. 44 degrees +/- 13 degrees and 51 degrees +/- 13 degrees, p less than 0.005). Allografted animals receiving short-term cyclosporin-A had contractures that were not significantly different from those seen in isografted control animals (17 degrees +/- 12 degrees vs. 22 degrees +/- 15 degrees, NS). Muscle hydroxyproline concentration analysis revealed a lower hydroxyproline concentration among the allografted groups that received irradiated allografts, compared to groups receiving nonirradiated allogeneic grafts. The studies of muscle hydroxyproline concentration and muscle weight both showed substantial reinnervation, even in allografted animals without pretreatment of the grafts or immunosuppression of the recipient animal

Bone allograft banking in South Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, D G; Oakeshott, R D

1995-12-01

The South Australian Bone Bank had expanded to meet an increased demand for allograft bone. During a 5 year period from 1988 to 1992, 2361 allografts were harvested from 2146 living donors and 30 cadaveric donors. The allografts were screened by contemporary banking techniques which include a social history, donor serum tests for HIV-1, HIV-2, hepatitis B and C, syphilis serology, graft microbiology and histology. Grafts were irradiated with 25 kGy. The majority of grafts were used for arthroplasty or spinal surgery and 99 were used for tumour reconstruction. Of the donated grafts 336 were rejected by the bank. One donor was HIV-positive and two had false positive screens. There were seven donors with positive serology for hepatitis B, eight for hepatitis C and nine for syphilis. Twenty-seven grafts had positive cultures. Bone transplantation is the most frequent non-haematogenous allograft in South Australia and probably nationally. The low incidence of infectious viral disease in the donor population combined with an aggressive discard policy has ensured relative safety of the grafts. The frequency of graft rejection was similar to other bone banks but the incidence of HIV was lower.

Ectopic bone formation in bone marrow stem cell seeded calcium phosphate scaffolds as compared to autograft and (cell seeded allograft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J O Eniwumide

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Improvements to current therapeutic strategies are needed for the treatment of skeletal defects. Bone tissue engineering offers potential advantages to these strategies. In this study, ectopic bone formation in a range of scaffolds was assessed. Vital autograft and devitalised allograft served as controls and the experimental groups comprised autologous bone marrow derived stem cell seeded allograft, biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP and tricalcium phosphate (TCP, respectively. All implants were implanted in the back muscle of adult Dutch milk goats for 12 weeks. Micro-computed tomography (µCT analysis and histomorphometry was performed to evaluate and quantify ectopic bone formation. In good agreement, both µCT and histomorphometric analysis demonstrated a significant increase in bone formation by cell-seeded calcium phosphate scaffolds as compared to the autograft, allograft and cell-seeded allograft implants. An extensive resorption of the autograft, allograft and cell-seeded allograft implants was observed by histology and confirmed by histomorphometry. Cell-seeded TCP implants also showed distinct signs of degradation with histomorphometry and µCT, while the degradation of the cell-seeded BCP implants was negligible. These results indicate that cell-seeded calcium phosphate scaffolds are superior to autograft, allograft or cell-seeded allograft in terms of bone formation at ectopic implantation sites. In addition, the usefulness of µCT for the efficient and non-destructive analysis of mineralised bone and calcium phosphate scaffold was demonstrated.

Tendon allograft sterilized by peracetic acid/ethanol combined with gamma irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Mo; Zhang, Naili; Liu, Xiaoming; Li, Youchen; Zhang, Yumin; Wang, Xusheng; Li, Baoming; Li, Baoxing

2014-07-01

Research and clinical applications have demonstrated that the effects of tendon allografts are comparable to those of autografts when reconstructing injured tendons or ligaments, but allograft safety remains problematic. Sterilisation could eliminate or decrease the possibility of disease transmission, but current methods seldom achieve satisfactory sterilisation without affecting the mechanical properties of the tendon. Peracetic acid-ethanol in combination with low-dose gamma irradiation (PE-R) would inactivate potential deleterious microorganisms without affecting mechanical and biocompatible properties of tendon allograft. Controlled laboratory design. HIV, PPV, PRV and BVDV inactivation was evaluated. After verifying viral inactivation, the treated tendon allografts were characterised by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and tensile testing, and the cytocompatibility was assessed with an MTT assay and by subcutaneous implantation. Effective and efficient inactivation of HIV, PPV, PRV and BVDV was observed. Histological structure and ultrastructure were unchanged in the treated tendon allograft, which also exhibited comparable biomechanical properties and good biocompatibility. The preliminary results confirmed our hypothesis and demonstrated that the PE-R tendon allograft has significant potential as an alternative to ligament/tendon reconstruction. Tendon allografts have been extensively used in ligament reconstruction and tendon repair. However, current sterilisation methods have various shortcomings, so PE-R has been proposed. This study suggests that PE-R tendon allograft has great potential as an alternative for ligament/tendon reconstruction. Sterilisation has been a great concern for tendon allografts. However, most sterilisation methods cannot inactivate viruses and bacteria without impairing the mechanical properties of the tendon allograft. Peracetic acid/ethanol with gamma irradiation can effectively inactivate viruses and bacteria

The role of stress in absenteeism: cortisol responsiveness among patients on long-term sick leave.

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Henrik B Jacobsen

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to (1 See whether increased or decreased variation relate to subjective reports of common somatic and psychological symptoms for a population on long-term sick leave; and (2 See if this pattern in variation is correlated with autonomic activation and psychological appraisal. METHODS: Our participants (n = 87 were referred to a 3.5-week return-to-work rehabilitation program, and had been on paid sick leave >8 weeks due to musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and/or common mental disorders. An extensive survey was completed, addressing socio-demographics, somatic and psychological complaints. In addition, a physician and a psychologist examined the participants, determining baseline heart rate, medication use and SCID-I diagnoses. During the 3.5-week program, the participants completed the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups. Participants wore heart rate monitors and filled out Visual Analogue Scales during the TSST-G. RESULTS: Our participants presented a low cortisol variation, with mixed model analyses showing a maximal increase in free saliva cortisol of 26% (95% CI, 0.21-0.32. Simultaneously, the increase in heart rate and Visual Analogue Scales was substantial, indicating autonomic and psychological activation consistent with intense stress from the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings are the first description of a blunted cortisol response in a heterogeneous group of patients on long-term sick leave. The results suggest lack of cortisol reactivity as a possible biological link involved in the pathway between stress, sustained activation and long-term sick leave.

Prognostic Impact of Elevated Serum Uric Acid Levels on Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Post-Hoc Analysis of the GISSI-HF (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nella Insufficienza Cardiaca-Heart Failure) Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Mantovani, Alessandro; Targher, Giovanni; Temporelli, Pier Luigi; Lucci, Donata; Gonzini, Lucio; Nicolosi, Gian Luigi; Marchioli, Roberto; Tognoni, Gianni; Latini, Roberto; Cosmi, Franco; Tavazzi, Luigi; Maggioni, Aldo Pietro

2018-02-22

The prognostic impact of hyperuricemia on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure (HF) has been investigated in observational registries and clinical trials, but the results have been often inconclusive. We examined the prognostic impact of elevated serum uric acid levels on long-term clinical outcomes in the GISSI-HF (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nella Insufficienza Cardiaca-Heart Failure) trial. We assessed the rates of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, cardiovascular hospitalization and the composite of all-cause death or cardiovascular hospitalization over a median follow-up of 3.9 years among 6683 ambulatory patients with chronic HF. Patients in the 3rd serum uric acid tertile (>7.2 mg/dl) had a nearly 1.8-fold increased risk of all-cause death and cardiovascular death, and a nearly 1.5-fold increased risk of cardiovascular hospitalization and of the composite endpoint compared to those in the 1st uric acid tertile (uric acid ≥7 mg/dl the risk of outcomes increased sharply and linearly. The significant association between elevated serum uric acid levels and adverse outcomes persisted after adjustment for multiple established risk factors, HF etiology, left ventricular ejection fraction, medication use and other potential confounders, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.37 (95% CI 1.22-1.55) for all-cause death, 1.48 (1.29-1.69) for cardiovascular death, 1.19 (1.09-1.30) for cardiovascular hospitalization and 1.21 (1.11-1.31) for the composite endpoint, respectively. Elevated serum uric acid levels are independently associated with poor long-term survival and increased risk of cardiovascular hospitalization in patients with chronic HF. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Produces a Durable Reduction in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Reduces the Long-Term Risks of Congestive Heart Failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Benotti, Peter N; Wood, G Craig; Carey, David J; Mehra, Vishal C; Mirshahi, Tooraj; Lent, Michelle R; Petrick, Anthony T; Still, Christopher; Gerhard, Glenn S; Hirsch, Annemarie G

2017-05-23

Obesity and its association with reduced life expectancy are well established, with cardiovascular disease as one of the major causes of fatality. Metabolic surgery is a powerful intervention for severe obesity, resulting in improvement in comorbid diseases and in cardiovascular risk factors. This study investigates the relationship between metabolic surgery and long-term cardiovascular events. A cohort of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) patients was tightly matched by age, body mass index, sex, Framingham Risk Score, smoking history, use of antihypertension medication, diabetes mellitus status, and calendar year with a concurrent cohort of nonoperated control patients. The primary study end points of major cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, and congestive heart failure) were evaluated using Cox regression. Secondary end points of longitudinal cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated using repeated-measures regression. The RYGB and matched controls (N=1724 in each cohort) were followed for up to 12 years after surgery (overall median of 6.3 years). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a statistically significant reduction in incident major composite cardiovascular events ( P =0.017) and congestive heart failure (0.0077) for the RYGB cohort. Adjusted Cox regression models confirmed the reductions in severe composite cardiovascular events in the RYGB cohort (hazard ratio=0.58, 95% CI=0.42-0.82). Improvements of cardiovascular risk factors (eg, 10-year cardiovascular risk score, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, systolic blood pressure, and diabetes mellitus) were observed within the RYGB cohort after surgery. Gastric bypass is associated with a reduced risk of major cardiovascular events and the development of congestive heart failure. © 2017 The Authors and Geisinger Clinic. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

[Long-term psychiatric hospitalizations].

Science.gov (United States)

Plancke, L; Amariei, A

2017-02-01

Long-term hospitalizations in psychiatry raise the question of desocialisation of the patients and the inherent costs. Individual indicators were extracted from a medical administrative database containing full-time psychiatric hospitalizations for the period 2011-2013 of people over 16 years old living in the French region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais. We calculated the proportion of people who had experienced a hospitalization with a duration of 292 days or more during the study period. A bivariate analysis was conducted, then ecological data (level of health-care offer, the deprivation index and the size of the municipalities of residence) were included into a multilevel regression model in order to identify the factors significantly related to variability of long-term hospitalization rates. Among hospitalized individuals in psychiatry, 2.6% had had at least one hospitalization of 292 days or more during the observation period; the number of days in long-term hospitalization represented 22.5% of the total of days of full-time hospitalization in psychiatry. The bivariate analysis revealed that seniority in the psychiatric system was strongly correlated with long hospitalization rates. In the multivariate analysis, the individual indicators the most related to an increased risk of long-term hospitalization were: total lack of autonomy (OR=9.0; 95% CI: 6.7-12.2; P<001); diagnoses of psychological development disorders (OR=9.7; CI95%: 4.5-20.6; P<.001); mental retardation (OR=4.5; CI95%: 2.5-8.2; P<.001): schizophrenia (OR=3.0; CI95%: 1.7-5.2; P<.001); compulsory hospitalization (OR=1.7; CI95%: 1.4-2.1; P<.001); having experienced therapeutic isolation (OR=1.8; CI95%: 1.5-2.1; P<.001). Variations of long-term hospitalization rates depending on the type of establishment were very high, but the density of hospital beds or intensity of ambulatory activity services were not significantly linked to long-term hospitalization. The inhabitants of small urban units had

Cryopreserved Cadaveric Arterial Allograft for Arterial Reconstruction in Patients with Prosthetic Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Lejay, Anne; Delay, Charline; Girsowicz, Elie; Chenesseau, Bettina; Bonnin, Emilie; Ghariani, Mohamed-Zied; Thaveau, Fabien; Georg, Yannick; Geny, Bernard; Chakfe, Nabil

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to report outcomes of cryopreserved arterial allografts used as a vascular substitute in the setting of prosthetic material infection. A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was conducted including all consecutive interventions performed with cryopreserved arterial allografts used for vascular reconstruction in the setting of prosthetic material infection between January 2005 and December 2014. Five year outcomes included allograft related re-interventions, survival, primary patency, and limb salvage rates. Fifty-three procedures were performed using cryopreserved allografts for vascular prosthetic infection: 25 procedures (47%) were performed at aorto-iliac level (Group 1) and 28 procedures (53%) at peripheral level (Group 2). The mean follow-up was 52 months. Five year allograft related re-intervention was 55% in Group 1 (6 allograft ruptures and 5 allograft aneurysm degenerations) and 33% in Group 2 (2 allograft ruptures and 7 allograft aneurysm degenerations). Five year survival was 40% and 68%, primary patency was 89% and 59% and limb salvage was 100% and 89% for Group 1 and 2 respectively. Use of cryopreserved arterial allografts provides acceptable results but is tempered by suboptimal 5 year outcomes with high re-intervention rates. Copyright © 2017 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term potentiation and long-term depression: a clinical perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy V.P. Bliss

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Long-term potentiation and long-term depression are enduring changes in synaptic strength, induced by specific patterns of synaptic activity, that have received much attention as cellular models of information storage in the central nervous system. Work in a number of brain regions, from the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex, and in many animal species, ranging from invertebrates to humans, has demonstrated a reliable capacity for chemical synapses to undergo lasting changes in efficacy in response to a variety of induction protocols. In addition to their physiological relevance, long-term potentiation and depression may have important clinical applications. A growing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, and technological advances in non-invasive manipulation of brain activity, now puts us at the threshold of harnessing long-term potentiation and depression and other forms of synaptic, cellular and circuit plasticity to manipulate synaptic strength in the human nervous system. Drugs may be used to erase or treat pathological synaptic states and non-invasive stimulation devices may be used to artificially induce synaptic plasticity to ameliorate conditions arising from disrupted synaptic drive. These approaches hold promise for the treatment of a variety of neurological conditions, including neuropathic pain, epilepsy, depression, amblyopia, tinnitus and stroke.

Preventing Allograft Rejection by Targeting Immune Metabolism

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Chen-Fang Lee

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Upon antigen recognition and co-stimulation, T lymphocytes upregulate the metabolic machinery necessary to proliferate and sustain effector function. This metabolic reprogramming in T cells regulates T cell activation and differentiation but is not just a consequence of antigen recognition. Although such metabolic reprogramming promotes the differentiation and function of T effector cells, the differentiation of regulatory T cells employs different metabolic reprogramming. Therefore, we hypothesized that inhibition of glycolysis and glutamine metabolism might prevent graft rejection by inhibiting effector generation and function and promoting regulatory T cell generation. We devised an anti-rejection regimen involving the glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG, the anti-type II diabetes drug metformin, and the inhibitor of glutamine metabolism 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON. Using this triple-drug regimen, we were able to prevent or delay graft rejection in fully mismatched skin and heart allograft transplantation models.

Anti-thymocyte globulins in kidney transplantation: focus on current indications and long-term immunological side effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Bamoulid, Jamal; Staeck, Oliver; Crépin, Thomas; Halleck, Fabian; Saas, Philippe; Brakemeier, Susanne; Ducloux, Didier; Budde, Klemens

2017-10-01

Antithymocyte globulins (ATGs) are part of the immunosuppression arsenal currently used by clinicians to prevent or treat acute rejection in solid organ transplantation. ATG is a mixture of non-specific anti-lymphocyte immunoglobulins targeting not only T cell subsets but also several other immune and non-immune cells, rendering its precise immunoglobulin composition difficult to appreciate or to compare from one preparation to another. Furthermore, several mechanisms of action have been described. Taken together, this probably explains the efficacy and the side effects associated with this drug. Recent data suggest a long-term negative impact on allograft and patient outcomes, pointing out the need to better characterize the potential toxicity and the benefit-risk balance associated to this immunosuppressive therapy within large clinical trials. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Cardiac metaiodobenzylguanidine activity can predict the long-term efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and/or beta-adrenoceptor blockers in patients with heart failure

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Nakata, Tomoaki; Wakabayashi, Takeru; Kyuma, Michifumi; Takahashi, Toru; Tsuchihashi, Kazufumi; Shimamoto, Kazuaki [Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Second Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology), Sapporo (Japan)

2005-02-01

Although the benefits of treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta-blockers are well known, no method has as yet been established to predict the efficacy of drug therapy. This study tested whether cardiac{sup 123}I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) activity is of prognostic value and can predict the improvement in heart failure patients resulting from treatment with ACE inhibitors and/or beta-blockers. Following quantification of the heart-to-mediastinum ratio (HMR) of MIBG activity, 88 patients with heart failure who were treated with ACE inhibitors and/or beta-blockers (treated group) and 79 patients with heart failure who were treated conventionally without the aforementioned agents, and who served as controls, were followed up for 43 months with a primary endpoint of cardiac death. The treated group had a significantly lower prevalence of cardiac death and a significantly lower mortality at 5 years compared with the control group (15% vs 37% and 21% vs 42%, p<0.05, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that significant predictors were HMR, age, nitrate use and ventricular tachycardia for the treated group, and HMR, nitrate use and NYHA class for the control group. The drug treatment significantly reduced mortality from 36% to 12% when HMR was 1.53 or more and from 53% to 37% when HMR was less than 1.53. The reduction in risk of mortality within 5 years in patients without a severe MIBG defect (67%) was twice that in patients with such a defect (32%) (p<0.05). The reduction in mortality risk achieved by using ACE inhibitors and/or beta-blockers is associated with the severity of impairment of cardiac MIBG uptake. Cardiac MIBG activity can consequently be of long-term prognostic value in predicting the effectiveness of such treatment in patients with heart failure. (orig.)

Cardiac metaiodobenzylguanidine activity can predict the long-term efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and/or beta-adrenoceptor blockers in patients with heart failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, Tomoaki; Wakabayashi, Takeru; Kyuma, Michifumi; Takahashi, Toru; Tsuchihashi, Kazufumi; Shimamoto, Kazuaki

2005-01-01

Although the benefits of treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta-blockers are well known, no method has as yet been established to predict the efficacy of drug therapy. This study tested whether cardiac 123 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) activity is of prognostic value and can predict the improvement in heart failure patients resulting from treatment with ACE inhibitors and/or beta-blockers. Following quantification of the heart-to-mediastinum ratio (HMR) of MIBG activity, 88 patients with heart failure who were treated with ACE inhibitors and/or beta-blockers (treated group) and 79 patients with heart failure who were treated conventionally without the aforementioned agents, and who served as controls, were followed up for 43 months with a primary endpoint of cardiac death. The treated group had a significantly lower prevalence of cardiac death and a significantly lower mortality at 5 years compared with the control group (15% vs 37% and 21% vs 42%, p<0.05, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that significant predictors were HMR, age, nitrate use and ventricular tachycardia for the treated group, and HMR, nitrate use and NYHA class for the control group. The drug treatment significantly reduced mortality from 36% to 12% when HMR was 1.53 or more and from 53% to 37% when HMR was less than 1.53. The reduction in risk of mortality within 5 years in patients without a severe MIBG defect (67%) was twice that in patients with such a defect (32%) (p<0.05). The reduction in mortality risk achieved by using ACE inhibitors and/or beta-blockers is associated with the severity of impairment of cardiac MIBG uptake. Cardiac MIBG activity can consequently be of long-term prognostic value in predicting the effectiveness of such treatment in patients with heart failure. (orig.)

Noninvasive detection of rejection of transplanted hearts with indium-111-labeled lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisen, H.J.; Eisenberg, S.B.; Saffitz, J.E.; Bolman, R.M. III; Sobel, B.E.; Bergmann, S.R.

1987-01-01

To determine whether cardiac transplant rejection can be detected noninvasively with indium-111 ( 111 In)-labeled lymphocytes, we studied 11 dogs with thoracic heterotopic cardiac transplants without immunosuppression and five dogs with transplants treated with cyclosporine (10 mg/kg/day) and prednisone (1 mg/kg/day). All were evaluated sequentially with gamma scintigraphy after administration of 150 to 350 muCi of autologous 111 In-lymphocytes. Technetium-99m-labeled red blood cells (1 to 3 mCi) were used for correction of radioactivity in the blood pool attributable to circulating labeled lymphocytes. Lymphocyte infiltration was quantified as the ratio of indium in the myocardium of the transplant or native heart compared with that in blood (indium excess, IE). Results were correlated with mechanical and electrical activity of allografts and with histologic findings in sequential biopsy specimens. In untreated dogs (n = 11), IE was 15.5 +/- 7.0 (SD) in transplanted hearts undergoing rejection and 0.4 +/- 1.1 in native hearts on the day before animals were killed. In dogs treated with cyclosporine and prednisone (n = 5), IE was minimal in allografts during the course of immunosuppression (0.8 +/- 0.4) and increased to 22.9 +/- 11.1 after immunosuppression was stopped. Scintigraphic criteria of rejection (IE greater than 2 SD above that in native hearts) correlated with results of biopsies indicative of rejection and appeared before electrophysiologic or mechanical manifestations of dysfunction. Thus infiltration of labeled lymphocytes in allografts, indicative of rejection, is detectable noninvasively by gamma scintigraphy and provides a sensitive approach potentially applicable to clinical monitoring for early detection of rejection and guidance for titration of immunosuppressive measures

Long-Term Symbolic Learning

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kennedy, William G; Trafton, J. G

2007-01-01

What are the characteristics of long-term learning? We investigated the characteristics of long-term, symbolic learning using the Soar and ACT-R cognitive architectures running cognitive models of two simple tasks...

Pediatric polytrauma : Short-term and long-term outcomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

vanderSluis, CK; Kingma, J; Eisma, WH; tenDuis, HJ

Objective: To assess the short-term and long-term outcomes of pediatric polytrauma patients and to analyze the extent to which short-term outcomes can predict long-term outcomes. Materials and Methods: Ail pediatric polytrauma patients (Injury Severity Score of greater than or equal to 16, less than

Long-Term Outcomes of Cultivated Limbal Epithelial Transplantation: Evaluation and Comparison of Results in Children and Adults

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Anita Ganger

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To compare the long-term clinical outcomes of cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation (CLET in children and adults with limbal stem cell deficiency. Design. Retrospective case series. Methods. Case records of patients with limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD who underwent CLET from April 2004 to December 2014 were studied. Outcome measures were compared in terms of anatomical success and visual improvement. Parameters for total anatomical success were avascular, epithelized, and clinically stable corneal surface without conjunctivalization, whereas partial anatomical success was considered when mild vascularization (sparing centre of cornea and mild conjunctivalization were noted along with complete epithelization. Results. A total of 62 cases underwent the CLET procedure: 38 (61.3% were children and 24 (38.7% were adults. Patients with unilateral LSCD (33 children and 21 adults had autografts and those with bilateral LSCD (5 children and 3 adults had allografts. Amongst the 54 autografts partial and total anatomical success were noted in 21.2% and 66.6% children, respectively, and 19.0% and 80.9% in adults, respectively (p value 0.23. Visual improvement of 1 line and ≥2 lines was seen in 57.5% and 21.2% children, respectively, and 38% and 38% in adults, respectively (p value 0.31. Conclusion. Cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation gives good long-term results in patients with LSCD and the outcomes are comparable in children and adults.

Air Quality and Heart Health: An Emerging Topic for Heart ...

Science.gov (United States)

Air Quality and Heart Health: An Emerging Topic for Heart Month: Ambient air particle pollution increases short- and long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Older-people, those with pre-existing heart disease and lung disease and diabetes are at higher risk. Mechanisms are under investigation and are likely related to oxidative stress, inflammation and effects on autonomic control. Improvements in air pollution levels reduce health impacts and increase life expectancy. Reductions of short-term exposure in those at highest risk are predicted to mitigate adverse health effects. EPA regularly evaluates the standards, health risks and issues improved standards when needed. Public health action is needed along with EPA standards to reduce the public health burden of short- and long-term adverse health effects of air pollution. Health risks remain and need to be addressed through integrated efforts of public health, health care, environmental health, individuals and communities. Presented at Webinar for the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, February 2, 2017, Chapel Hill, NC- This webinar provided an update of environmental health information related to the effects of air pollution and heart and blood vessel disease. Such information is critically important for the Clean Air Agencies to understand as it provides the justification of their actions.

Quantification of renal allograft perfusion using arterial spin labeling MRI: initial results.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanzman, Rotem S; Wittsack, Hans-Jörg; Martirosian, Petros; Zgoura, Panagiota; Bilk, Philip; Kröpil, Patric; Schick, Fritz; Voiculescu, Adina; Blondin, Dirk

2010-06-01

To quantify renal allograft perfusion in recipients with stable allograft function and acute decrease in allograft function using nonenhanced flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR)-TrueFISP arterial spin labeling (ASL) MR imaging. Following approval of the local ethics committee, 20 renal allograft recipients were included in this study. ASL perfusion measurement and an anatomical T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo (HASTE) sequence were performed on a 1.5-T scanner (Magnetom Avanto, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). T2-weighted MR urography was performed in patients with suspected ureteral obstruction. Patients were assigned to three groups: group a, 6 patients with stable allograft function over the previous 4 months; group b, 7 patients with good allograft function who underwent transplantation during the previous 3 weeks; group c, 7 allograft recipients with an acute deterioration of renal function. Mean cortical perfusion values were 304.8 +/- 34.4, 296.5 +/- 44.1, and 181.9 +/- 53.4 mg/100 ml/min for groups a, b and c, respectively. Reduction in cortical perfusion in group c was statistically significant. Our results indicate that ASL is a promising technique for nonenhanced quantification of cortical perfusion of renal allografts. Further studies are required to determine the clinical value of ASL for monitoring renal allograft recipients.

Quantification of renal allograft perfusion using arterial spin labeling MRI: initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanzman, Rotem S.; Wittsack, Hans-Joerg; Bilk, Philip; Kroepil, Patric; Blondin, Dirk; Martirosian, Petros; Schick, Fritz; Zgoura, Panagiota; Voiculescu, Adina

2010-01-01

To quantify renal allograft perfusion in recipients with stable allograft function and acute decrease in allograft function using nonenhanced flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR)-TrueFISP arterial spin labeling (ASL) MR imaging. Following approval of the local ethics committee, 20 renal allograft recipients were included in this study. ASL perfusion measurement and an anatomical T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo (HASTE) sequence were performed on a 1.5-T scanner (Magnetom Avanto, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). T2-weighted MR urography was performed in patients with suspected ureteral obstruction. Patients were assigned to three groups: group a, 6 patients with stable allograft function over the previous 4 months; group b, 7 patients with good allograft function who underwent transplantation during the previous 3 weeks; group c, 7 allograft recipients with an acute deterioration of renal function. Mean cortical perfusion values were 304.8 ± 34.4, 296.5 ± 44.1, and 181.9 ± 53.4 mg/100 ml/min for groups a, b and c, respectively. Reduction in cortical perfusion in group c was statistically significant. Our results indicate that ASL is a promising technique for nonenhanced quantification of cortical perfusion of renal allografts. Further studies are required to determine the clinical value of ASL for monitoring renal allograft recipients. (orig.)

Inability of donor total body irradiation to prolong survival of vascularized bone allografts: Experimental study in the rat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez del Pino, J.; Benito, M.; Randolph, M.A.; Weiland, A.J.

1990-01-01

At the present time, the toxic side effects of recipient immunosuppression cannot be justified for human non-vital organ transplantation. Total body irradiation has proven effective in ablating various bone-marrow-derived and endothelial immunocompetent cellular populations, which are responsible for immune rejection against donor tissues. Irradiation at a dose of 10 Gy was given to donor rats six days prior to heterotopic transplantation of vascularized bone allografts to host animals. Another group of recipient rats also received a short-term (sixth to fourteenth day after grafting), low dose of cyclosporine. Total body irradiation was able merely to delay rejection of grafts across a strong histocompatibility barrier for one to two weeks, when compared to nonirradiated allografts. The combination of donor irradiation plus cyclosporine did not delay the immune response, and the rejection score was similar to that observed for control allografts. Consequently, allograft viability was quickly impaired, leading to irreversible bone damage. This study suggest that 10 Gy of donor total body irradiation delivered six days prior to grafting cannot circumvent the immune rejection in a vascularized allograft of bone across a strong histocompatibility barrier

Long-Term Follow-Up of the Edmonton Protocol of Islet Transplantation in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, D C; Kopetskie, H A; Sayre, P H; Alejandro, R; Cagliero, E; Shapiro, A M J; Goldstein, J S; DesMarais, M R; Booher, S; Bianchine, P J

2016-02-01

We report the long-term follow-up of the efficacy and safety of islet transplantation in seven type 1 diabetic subjects from the United States enrolled in the multicenter international Edmonton Protocol who had persistent islet function after completion of the Edmonton Protocol. Subjects were followed up to 12 years with serial testing for sustained islet allograft function as measured by C-peptide. All seven subjects demonstrated continued islet function longer than a decade from the time of first islet transplantation. One subject remained insulin independent without the need for diabetic medications or supplemental transplants. One subject who was insulin-independent for over 8 years experienced graft failure 10.9 years after the first islet transplant. The remaining six subjects demonstrated continued islet function upon trial completion, although three had received a supplemental islet transplant each. At trial completion, five subjects were receiving insulin and two remained insulin independent, although one was treated with liraglutide. The median hemoglobin A1c was 6.3% (45 mmol/mol). All subjects experienced progressive decline in the C-peptide/glucose ratio. No patients experienced severe hypoglycemia, opportunistic infection, or lymphoma. Thus, although the rate and duration of insulin independence was low, the Edmonton Protocol was safe in the long term. Alternative approaches to islet transplantation are under investigation. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Long-Term Retrievability of IVC Filters: Should We Abandon Permanent Devices?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berczi, V.; Bottomley, J. R.; Thomas, S. M.; Taneja, S.; Gaines, P. A.; Cleveland, T. J.

2007-01-01

Thromboembolic disease produces a considerable disease burden, with death from pulmonary embolism in the UK alone estimated at 30,000-40,000 per year. Whilst it is unproven whether filters actually improve longevity, the morbidity and mortality associated with thromboembolic disease in the presence of contraindications to anticoagulation is high. Thus complications associated with filter insertion, and whilst they remain in situ, must be balanced against the alternatives. Permanent filters remain in situ for the remainder of the patient's life and any complications from the filters are of significant concern. Filters that are not permanent are therefore attractive in these circumstances. Retrievable filters, to avoid or decrease long-term filter complications, appear to be a significant advance in the prevention of pulmonary embolism. In this review, we discuss the safety and effectiveness of both permanent and retrievable filters as well as the retrievability of retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters, to explore whether the use of permanent IVC filters can be abandoned in favor of retrievable filters. Currently four types of retrievable filters are available: the Recovery filter (Bard Peripheral Vascular, Tempe, AZ, USA), the Guenther Tulip filter (Cook, Bloomington, IN, USA), the OptEase Filter (Cordis, Roden, The Netherlands), and the ALN filter (ALN Implants Chirurgicaux, Ghisonaccia, France). Efficacy and safety data for retrievable filters are as yet based on small series, with a total number of fewer than 1,000 insertions, and follow-up is mostly short term. Current long-term data are poor and insufficient to warrant the long-term implantation of these devices into humans. The case of fractured wire from a Recovery filter that migrated to the heart causing pericardial tamponade requiring open heart surgery is a reminder that any new endovascular device remaining in situ in the long term may produce unexpected problems. We should also bear in mind that

Coronary Allograft Vasculopathy after Cardiac Transplantation: Prevalence, Prognostic and Risk Factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Antunes, André; Prieto, David; Pinto, Carlos; Branco, Carlos; Correia, Pedro; Batista, Manuel; Antunes, Manuel

2017-01-01

Coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is still a serious long-term complication after cardiac transplantation. To evaluate the prevalence of CAV in a single institution, its impact on survival and to explore associated risk factors. From November-2003 through June-2016, 316 patients were submitted to cardiac transplantation. After excluding those with paediatric age (n=8), those with previous renal or hepatic transplantation (n=2) and those who didn't survive the first year after cardiac transplantation (n=40), the study population resulted in 266 patients. Forty two patients (15.8%) with CAV, diagnosed by a new >50% coronary artery stenosis in any vessel during follow-up, were compared with a non-CAV group. Both groups share de same median age (54+10years). Recipient male sex predominated in the CAV group (93% vs. 74%), as did ischemic etiology (52% vs. 37%). Although not reaching statistical significance, CAV patients also had more dyslipidemia (60% vs. 50%), history of smoking (52% vs. 44%) and peripheral vascular disease (45% vs. 29%). The incidence of celular acute rejection 1R is more frequent in CAV group (69% vs. 60%) such as 2R or 3R (29% vs. 27%). Prolonged use of inotropic support and mechanical assistance after cardiac transplantation were comparable between both groups. The survival of this patients, who were submitted to cardiac transplantation and had lived at least 1 year, between CAV and non-CAV group was comparable at 5-year (91% vs. 85%), but tended to be lower for CAV patients in 10-year interval (52% vs. 73%). This data confirms CAV as a common long-term complication following cardiac transplantation. Although short to mid-term survival seems not to be affected by CAV, long-term survival appears lower, hence a longer follow-up is needed.

Long term enzyme replacement therapy for Fabry disease: effectiveness on kidney, heart and brain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rombach, Saskia M.; Smid, Bouwien E.; Bouwman, Machtelt G.; Linthorst, Gabor E.; Dijkgraaf, Marcel G. W.; Hollak, Carla E. M.

2013-01-01

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by α-galactosidase A deficiency leading to renal, cardiac, cerebrovascular disease and premature death. Treatment with α-galactosidase A (enzyme replacement therapy, ERT) stabilises disease in some patients, but long term effectiveness

Kidney allograft tolerance in diabetic patients after total lymphoid irradiation (TLI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ang, K.K.; Vanrenterighem, Y.; Waer, M.; Michielsen, P.; Schueren, E. van der (University Hospital St. Rafael, Leuven (Belgium)); Vandeputte, M. (Louvain Univ. (Belgium). Rega Institute for Medical Research)

1985-04-01

The value of total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) combined with low dose prednisone as sole immunosuppressive regimen in renal allograft transplantation in humans has been investigated. Seventeen patients with end-stage diabetic nephropathy received TLI to a cumulative dose of 20-30 Gy in fractions of 1 Gy. Cadaver kidneys were grafted as soon as they were available after completion of TLI. Profound and long-term immunosuppression has been achieved in 17 patients. Six patients live already more than one year and 7 for less than one year with a functioning kidney graft. One patient returned to chronic hemodialysis 11 months after transplantation and died of pericardial tamponade one month later. One patient had severe acute rejection for which cyclosporine A was administered; he died of septic shock as a consequence of immune deficiency a month later. The other two patients succumbed to other causes (myocardial infarction and hyperglycemia).

Biomechanical properties of bone allografts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelker, R.R.; Friedlaender, G.E.; Markham, T.C.

1983-01-01

The biomechanical properties of allograft bone can be altered by the methods chosen for its preservation and storage. These effects are minimal with deep-freezing or low-level radiation. Freeze-drying, however, markedly diminishes the torsional and bending strength of bone allografts but does not deleteriously affect the compressive or tensile strength. Irradiation of bone with more than 3.0 megarad or irradiation combined with freeze-drying appears to cause a significant reduction in breaking strength. These factors should be considered when choosing freeze-dried or irradiated allogeneic bone that will be subjected to significant loads following implantation

Bone Allografts: What Is the Risk of Disease Transmission with Bone Allografts?

Science.gov (United States)

... HIV virus in freeze-dried bone allografts. Pract Periodontics Aesthet Dent 1995;7:13–22. Mellonig JT, ... source: Division of Oral Health , National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Follow CDC Email ...

Role of long-term mechanical circulatory support in patients with advanced heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Stokes, M B; Bergin, P; McGiffin, D

2016-05-01

Advanced heart failure represents a small proportion of patients with heart failure that possess high-risk features associated with high hospital readmission rates, significant functional impairment and mortality. Identification of those who have progressed to, or are near a state of advanced heart failure should prompt referral to a service that offers therapies in mechanical circulatory support (MCS) and cardiac transplantation. MCS has grown as a management strategy in the care of these patients, most commonly as a bridge to cardiac transplantation. The predominant utilisation of MCS is implantation of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), which have evolved significantly in their technology and application over the past 15-20 years. The technology has evolved to such an extent that Destination Therapy is now being utilised as a strategy in management of advanced heart failure in appropriately selected patients. Complication rates have decreased with VAD implantation, but remain a significant consideration in the decision to implant a device, and in the follow up of these patients. © 2016 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Near-Term Actions to Address Long-Term Climate Risk

Science.gov (United States)

Lempert, R. J.

2014-12-01

Addressing climate change requires effective long-term policy making, which occurs when reflecting on potential events decades or more in the future causes policy makers to choose near-term actions different than those they would otherwise pursue. Contrary to some expectations, policy makers do sometimes make such long-term decisions, but not as commonly and successfully as climate change may require. In recent years however, the new capabilities of analytic decision support tools, combined with improved understanding of cognitive and organizational behaviors, has significantly improved the methods available for organizations to manage longer-term climate risks. In particular, these tools allow decision makers to understand what near-term actions consistently contribute to achieving both short- and long-term societal goals, even in the face of deep uncertainty regarding the long-term future. This talk will describe applications of these approaches for infrastructure, water, and flood risk management planning, as well as studies of how near-term choices about policy architectures can affect long-term greenhouse gas emission reduction pathways.

Heart rate, multiple body temperature, long-range and long-life telemetry system for free-ranging animals

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, G. F.; Westbrook, R. M.; Fryer, T. B.

1980-01-01

The design details and rationale for a versatile, long-range, long-life telemetry data acquisition system for heart rates and body temperatures at multiple locations from free-ranging animals are presented. The design comprises an implantable transmitter for short to medium range transmission, a receiver retransmitter collar to be worn for long-range transmission, and a signal conditioner interface circuit to assist in signal discrimination and demodulation of receiver or tape-recorded audio outputs. Implanted electrodes are used to obtain an ECG, from which R-wave characteristics are selected to trigger a short RF pulse. Pulses carrying heart rate information are interrupted periodically by a series of pulse interval modulated RF pulses conveying temperature information sensed at desired locations by thermistors. Pulse duration and pulse sequencing are used to discriminate between heart rate and temperature pulses as well as radio frequency interference. The implanted transmitter may be used alone for medium and short-range tracking, or with a receiver-transmitter collar that employs commercial tracking equipment for transmissions of up to 12 km. A system prototype has been tested on a dog.

Hand transplantation and vascularized composite tissue allografts in orthopaedics and traumatology.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuind, F

2010-05-01

Composite tissue allograft (CTA) is defined as heterologous transplantation of a complex comprising skin and subcutaneous, neurovascular and mesenchymal tissue. Such techniques allow complex reconstruction using matched tissue, without donor site morbidity. The potential indications in orthopaedics-traumatology could in the future be more frequent than the present indications of heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas transplantation. International clinical experience clearly demonstrates the feasibility of CTA, both surgically and immunologically. However, immunosuppression remains indispensable, exposing the patient to risks that are not acceptable for purely functional surgery, except in very particular indications. The main hope for the future lies in induction of graft-specific tolerance. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Disinfection of human musculoskeletal allografts in tissue banking: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohr, J; Germain, M; Winters, M; Fraser, S; Duong, A; Garibaldi, A; Simunovic, N; Alsop, D; Dao, D; Bessemer, R; Ayeni, O R

2016-12-01

Musculoskeletal allografts are typically disinfected using antibiotics, irradiation or chemical methods but protocols vary significantly between tissue banks. It is likely that different disinfection protocols will not have the same level of microorganism kill; they may also have varying effects on the structural integrity of the tissue, which could lead to significant differences in terms of clinical outcome in recipients. Ideally, a disinfection protocol should achieve the greatest bioburden reduction with the lowest possible impact on tissue integrity. A systematic review of three databases found 68 laboratory and clinical studies that analyzed the microbial bioburden or contamination rates of musculoskeletal allografts. The use of peracetic acid-ethanol or ionizing radiation was found to be most effective for disinfection of tissues. The use of irradiation is the most frequently published method for the terminal sterilization of musculoskeletal allografts; it is widely used and its efficacy is well documented in the literature. However, effective disinfection results were still observed using the BioCleanse™ Tissue Sterilization process, pulsatile lavage with antibiotics, ethylene oxide, and chlorhexidine. The variety of effective methods to reduce contamination rate or bioburden, in conjunction with limited high quality evidence provides little support for the recommendation of a single bioburden reduction method.

Long-term outcomes from Healthy Eating and Exercise Lifestyle Program for overweight people with heart disease and diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Alharbi, Muaddi; Gallagher, Robyn; Kirkness, Ann; Sibbritt, David; Tofler, Geoffrey

2016-02-01

The benefits of exercise and weight reduction for overweight or obese people with coronary heart disease and/or diabetes mellitus are well recognised. The Healthy Eating and Exercise Lifestyle Program demonstrated these outcomes at 4 months, but longer-term outcomes are not yet reported. To determine whether positive weight, body mass index, waist and exercise duration outcomes were sustained in the long term (12 months) and to identify the independent predictors of these outcomes at 4 and 12 months. Longitudinal design, combining data of all Healthy Eating and Exercise Lifestyle Program participants (intervention and wait-list control, n = 134). Participants had a body mass index between 27 and 39 kg/m(2) and had completed cardiac rehabilitation and/or diabetes education programmes. Healthy Eating and Exercise Lifestyle Program intervention included an active phase of two 1-hour group-based supervised structured exercise sessions every week for 4 months and four 90-minute group information and support sessions. The maintenance phase included one 90-minute group-based booster information session and three 15-minute goal-focused telephone follow-up calls over 8 months. Participants had statistically significant reductions from baseline in weight, body mass index and waist circumference and improvements in exercise duration and capacity at 4 and 12 months. Time, self-efficacy, depressive symptoms and male gender were independent predictors for body mass index, waist and/or exercise duration (p Healthy Eating and Exercise Lifestyle Program was an effective programme to achieve and sustain weight loss and increase exercise participation over 1 year. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

Long Term Financing of Infrastructure

OpenAIRE

Sinha, Sidharth

2014-01-01

Infrastructure projects, given their long life, require long term financing. The main sources of long term financings are insurance and pension funds who seek long term investments with low credit risk. However, in India household financial savings are mainly invested in bank deposits. Insurance and pension funds account for only a small percentage of household financial savings. In addition most infrastructure projects do not qualify for investment by insurance and pension funds because of t...

Adherence to the ESC Heart Failure Treatment Guidelines in Spain: ESC Heart Failure Long-term Registry.

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Crespo-Leiro, María G; Segovia-Cubero, Javier; González-Costello, José; Bayes-Genis, Antoni; López-Fernández, Silvia; Roig, Eulàlia; Sanz-Julve, Marisa; Fernández-Vivancos, Carla; de Mora-Martín, Manuel; García-Pinilla, José Manuel; Varela-Román, Alfonso; Almenar-Bonet, Luis; Lara-Padrón, Antonio; de la Fuente-Galán, Luis; Delgado-Jiménez, Juan

2015-09-01

To estimate the percentage of heart failure patients in Spain that received the European Society of Cardiology recommended treatments, and in those that did not, to determine the reasons why. The study included 2834 consecutive ambulatory patients with heart failure from 27 Spanish hospitals. We recorded general information, the treatment indicated, and the reasons why it was not prescribed in some cases. In patients who met the criteria to receive a certain drug, true undertreatment was defined as the percentage of patients who, without justification, did not receive the drug. In total, 92.6% of ambulatory patients with low ejection fraction received angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, 93.3% beta-blockers, and 74.5% mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. The true undertreatment rates were 3.4%, 1.8%, and 19.0%, respectively. Target doses were reached in 16.2% of patients receiving angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, 23.3% of those with angiotensin receptor blockers, 13.2% of those prescribed beta-blockers, and 23.5% of those with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. Among patients who could benefit from ivabradine, 29.1% received this drug. In total, 36% of patients met the criteria for defibrillator implantation and 90% of them had received the device or were scheduled for implantation, whereas 19.6% fulfilled the criteria for resynchronization therapy and 88.0% already had or would soon have the device. In patients who met the criteria, but did not undergo device implantation, the reasons were not cost-related. When justified reasons for not administering heart failure drugs were taken into account, adherence to the guideline recommendations was excellent. Exclusive use of the percentage of treated patients is a poor indicator of the quality of healthcare in heart failure. Measures should be taken to improve the attainment of optimal dosing in each patient. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Cardiolog

[The clinical use of cryopreserved human skin allografts for transplantation].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Flores, Francisco; Chacón-Gómez, María; Madinaveitia-Villanueva, Juan Antonio; Barrera-Lopez, Araceli; Aguirre-Cruz, Lucinda; Querevalu-Murillo, Walter

2015-01-01

The biological recovery of human skin allografts is the gold standard for preservation in Skin Banks. However, there is no worldwide consensus about specific allocation criteria for preserved human skin allografts with living cells. A report is presented on the results of 5 years of experience of using human skin allografts in burned patient in the Skin and Tissue Bank at the "Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitacion" The human skin allografts were obtained from multi-organ donors. processed and preserved at -80 °C for 12 months. Allocation criteria were performed according to blood type match, clinical history, and burned body surface. Up to now, the Skin and Tissue Bank at 'Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitacion" has processed and recovered 125,000 cm(2) of human skin allografts. It has performed 34 surgical implants on 21 burned patients. The average of burn body surface was 59.2%. More than two-thirds (67.7%) of recipients of skin allografts were matched of the same to type blood of the donor, and 66.6% survived after 126 days hospital stay. It is proposed to consider recipient's blood group as allocation criteria to assign tissue; and use human skin allografts on patiens affected with burns over 30% of body surface (according the "rule of the 9"). Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Extensive tumor reconstruction with massive allograft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zulmi Wan

1999-01-01

Massive deep-frozen bone allografts were implanted in four patients after wide tumor resection. Two cases were solitary proximal femur metastases, secondary to Thyroid cancer and breast cancer respectively; while the other two cases were primary in nature i.e. Chondrosarcoma proximal humerus and Osteosarcoma proximal femur. All were treated with a cemented alloprosthesis except in the upper limb where shoulder fusion was performed. Augmentation of these techniques were done with a segment 1 free vascularised fibular composite graft to the proximal femur of breast secondaries and proximal humerus Chondrosarcoma. Coverage of the wound of the latter was also contributed by lattisimus dorsi flap. The present investigations demonstrated the massive bone allografts were intimately anchored by host bone and there had been no evidence of aseptic loosening at the graft-cement interface. This study showed that with good effective tumor control, reconstructive surgery with massive allografts represented a good alternative to prosthetic implants in tumors of the limbs. No infection was seen in all four cases

Effect of cold nerve allograft preservation on antigen presentation and rejection

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Wilson Z.; Kale, Santosh S.; Kasukurthi, Rahul; Papp, Esther M.; Johnson, Philip J.; Santosa, Katherine B.; Yan, Ying; Hunter, Daniel A.; Mackinnon, Susan E.; Tung, Thomas H.

2010-01-01

Object Nerve allotransplantation provides a temporary scaffold for host nerve regeneration and allows for the reconstruction of significant segmental nerve injuries. The need for systemic the current clinical utilization of nerve allografts, although this need is reduced by the practice of cold nerve allograft preservation. Activation of T cells in response to alloantigen presentation occurs in the context of donor antigen presenting cells (direct pathway) or host antigen-presenting cells (indirect pathway). The relative role of each pathway in eliciting an alloimmune response and its potential for rejection of the nerve allograft model has not previously been investigated. The objective of this investigation was to study the effect of progressive periods of cold nerve allograft preservation on antigen presentation and the alloimmune response. Methods The authors used wild type C57Bl/6 (B6), BALB/c, and major histocompatibility Class II–deficient (MHC−/−) C57Bl/6 mice as both nerve allograft recipients and donors. A nonvascularized nerve allograft was used to reconstruct a 1-cm sciatic nerve gap. Progressive cold preservation of donor nerve allografts was used. Quantitative assessment was made after 3 weeks using nerve histomorphometry. Results The donor-recipient combination lacking a functional direct pathway (BALB/c host with MHC−/− graft) rejected nerve allografts as vigorously as wild-type animals. Without an intact indirect pathway (MHC−/− host with BALB/c graft), axonal regeneration was improved (p < 0.052). One week of cold allograft preservation did not improve regeneration to any significant degree in any of the donor-recipient preservation did improve regeneration significantly (p < 0.05) for all combinations compared with wild-type animals without pretreatment. However, only in the presence of an intact indirect pathway (no direct pathway) did 4 weeks of cold preservation improve regeneration significantly compared with 1 week and no

Usefulness and limitations of transthoracic echocardiography in heart transplantation recipients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galderisi Maurizio

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Transthoracic echocardiography is a primary non-invasive modality for investigation of heart transplant recipients. It is a versatile tool which provides comprehensive information about cardiac structure and function. Echocardiographic examinations can be easily performed at the bedside and serially repeated without any patient's discomfort. This review highlights the usefulness of Doppler echocardiography in the assessment of left ventricular and right ventricular systolic and diastolic function, of left ventricular mass, valvular heart disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension and pericardial effusion in heart transplant recipients. The main experiences performed by either standard Doppler echocardiography and new high-tech ultrasound technologies are summarised, pointing out advantages and limitations of the described techniques in diagnosing acute allograft rejection and cardiac graft vasculopathy. Despite the sustained efforts of echocardiographic technique in predicting the biopsy state, endocardial myocardial biopsies are still regarded as the gold standard for detection of acute allograft rejection. Conversely, stress echocardiography is able to identify accurately cardiac graft vasculopathy and has a recognised prognostic in this clinical setting. A normal stress-echo justifies postponement of invasive studies. Another use of transthoracic echocardiography is the monitorisation and the visualisation of the catheter during the performance of endomyocardial biopsy. Bedside stress echocardiography is even useful to select appropriately heart donors with brain death. The ultrasound monitoring is simple and effective for monitoring a safe performance of biopsy procedures.

Effect of ultraviolet-B-irradiated donor-specific blood transfusions and peritransplant immunosuppression with cyclosporine on rat cardiac allograft survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oluwole, S.F.; Lau, H.T.; Reemtsma, K.; Hardy, M.A.

1988-01-01

We have previously demonstrated that pretreatment of ACI recipients with ultraviolet-irradiated donor-specific blood transfusion (UV-DST) leads to permanent cardiac allograft survival without further host immunosuppression (ACI rats are weak responders to Lewis lymphocytes in mixed-lymphocyte reaction). This study examines the effect of UV-DST and the timing of transfusions on ACI cardiac allograft survival in Lewis recipients with and without the addition of peritransplant cyclosporine (CsA) (20 mg/kg i.m.) given on days 0, +1, and +2 in relation to the time of transplantation. The mean survival time (MST) of ACI cardiac allografts in Lewis recipients was significantly increased to 33.6 +/- 5.7 days (P less than 0.001) by CsA treatment alone as compared to 6.5 +/- 0.5 days survival in control. When DST was given on day -3 combined with CsA, graft survival was increased to 42.0 +/- 9.3 days (P less than 0.01), as compared to 5.8 +/- 1.3 days when DST alone was used. When DST was irradiated with ultraviolet B (UV-DST) and administered on day -3 combined with peritransplant CsA, the MST was increased to 68.83 +/- 16.1 days as compared to an MST of 10.0 +/- 1.0 days in controls treated with UV-DST alone. When UV-DST was given on day -7 and combined with peritransplant CsA immunosuppression, the results were similar. However, when UV-DST was peritransplant CsA course, 4 of 6 recipients maintained their ACI heart allografts indefinitely (greater than 300 days) in contrast to the effect of UV-DST alone (MST of 13.5 days). Third-party (W/F) UV-irradiated blood transfusions were ineffective in prolonging ACI cardiac allografts in Lewis rats, regardless of whether the transfusions were given alone or in combination with peritransplant immunosuppression with CsA

Hemoglobin Kinetics and Long-term Prognosis in Heart Failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Díez-López, Carles; Lupón, Josep; de Antonio, Marta; Zamora, Elisabet; Domingo, Mar; Santesmases, Javier; Troya, Maria-Isabel; Boldó, Maria; Bayes-Genis, Antoni

2016-09-01

The influence of hemoglobin kinetics on outcomes in heart failure has been incompletely established. Hemoglobin was determined at the first visit and at 6 months. Anemia was defined according to World Health Organization criteria (hemoglobin < 13g/dL for men and hemoglobin < 12g/dL for women). Patients were classified relative to their hemoglobin values as nonanemic (both measurements normal), transiently anemic (anemic at the first visit but not at 6 months), newly anemic (nonanemic initially but anemic at 6 months), or permanently anemic (anemic in both measurements). A total of 1173 consecutive patients (71.9% men, mean age 66.8±12.2 years) were included in the study. In all, 476 patients (40.6%) were considered nonanemic, 170 (14.5%) had transient anemia, 147 (12.5%) developed new-onset anemia, and 380 (32.4%) were persistently anemic. During a follow-up of 3.7±2.8 years after the 6-month visit, 494 patients died. On comprehensive multivariable analyses, anemia (P < .001) and the type of anemia (P < .001) remained as independent predictors of all-cause mortality. Compared with patients without anemia, patients with persistent anemia (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.62; 95% confidence interval [95%CI], 1.30-2.03; P < .001) and new-onset anemia (HR = 1.39; 95%CI, 1.04-1.87, P = .03) had higher mortality, and even transient anemia showed a similar trend, although without reaching statistical significance (HR = 1.31; 95%CI, 0.97-1.77, P = .075). Anemia, especially persistent and of new-onset, and to a lesser degree, transient anemia, is deleterious in heart failure. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A ten years experience with allograft implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thanya Subhadrabandha; Sommart Keorochana; Yongyudh Vajaradul

1999-01-01

Since 1986 the Department of Orthopaedics, Ramathibodi Hospital has performed 30 resections and fresh frozen allograft implantations for the management of tumourous bone conditions. All allografts were provided by Bangkok Biomaterial Center, Siriraj Hospital. Following resection of the tumor, the selected part was implanted and held with plates and screws, intramedullary rods or prostheses and the patients were observed closely for alterations suggestive of rejection, relationship of complications to outcome, functional status of the part and presence of recurrences or metastases. Thirty patients were followed up for two or more years, the graft performed acceptably (excellent or good function result) in 70%. The results were better when the allografts were used in upper extremities or combined with prostheses. Local recurrence and severe infection were the major factors in determining outcome

Long term stability of power systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kundur, P; Gao, B [Powertech Labs. Inc., Surrey, BC (Canada)

1994-12-31

Power system long term stability is still a developing subject. In this paper we provide our perspectives and experiences related to long term stability. The paper begins with the description of the nature of the long term stability problem, followed by the discussion of issues related to the modeling and solution techniques of tools for long term stability analysis. Cases studies are presented to illustrate the voltage stability aspect and plant dynamics aspect of long term stability. (author) 20 refs., 11 figs.

The Association between Physical Activity During the Day and Long-Term Memory Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Pontifex, Matthew B; Gwizdala, Kathryn L; Parks, Andrew C; Pfeiffer, Karin A; Fenn, Kimberly M

2016-12-02

Despite positive associations between chronic physical activity and memory; we have little understanding of how best to incorporate physical activity during the day to facilitate the consolidation of information into memory, nor even how time spent physically active during the day relates to memory processes. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relation between physical activity during the day and long-term memory. Ninety-two young adults learned a list of paired-associate items and were tested on the items after a 12-hour interval during which heart rate was recorded continuously. Although the percentage of time spent active during the day was unrelated to memory, two critical physical activity periods were identified as relating to the maintenance of long-term memory. Engaging in physical activity during the period 1 to 2-hours following the encoding of information was observed to be detrimental to the maintenance of information in long-term memory. In contrast, physical activity during the period 1-hour prior to memory retrieval was associated with superior memory performance, likely due to enhanced retrieval processing. These findings provide initial evidence to suggest that long-term memory may be enhanced by more carefully attending to the relative timing of physical activity incorporated during the day.

Creature comforts: personal communities, pets and the work of managing a long-term condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, Helen L; Rogers, Anne; Kapadia, Dharmi; Pilgrim, Jack; Reeves, David; Vassilev, Ivaylo

2013-06-01

To explore in the context of peoples' personal social networks, the contribution that pets make to 'the work' associated with the management of long-term conditions. Mixed methods survey with nested parallel qualitative study; 300 participants were drawn from diabetes and chronic heart disease registers of General Practices across Greater Manchester in the North West of England. Notions of 'work' were used to describe the illness and everyday activities associated with chronic illness. Nineteen percent of participants identified at least one pet within their network. Pets contributed mostly to managing emotions (emotional work), to enhancing a sense of self identity (biographical work) and to a lesser extent practical tasks (everyday work). There were indicators that pets mediated relationships for people living with a long-term condition through very weak ties with others in domestic and community settings. The findings suggest that pets have unique qualities and are not simply substitutes for human relationships in long-term condition management. The study has potential implications for furthering a social contextual analysis of chronic illness, the understanding of relationships, and the meaning and the role of companion animals in long-term condition management.

Cardiovascular Autonomic Responses in the VCD Rat Model of Menopause: Effects of Short- and Long-Term Ovarian Failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Huber, Domitila A; Bazilio, Darlan; Lorenzon, Flaviano; Sehnem, Sibele; Pacheco, Lucas; Anselmo-Franci, Janete A; Lima, Fernanda B

2017-01-01

After menopause, hypertension elevates the risk of cardiac diseases, one of the major causes of women's morbidity. The gradual depletion of ovarian follicles in rats, induced by 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD), is a model for studying the physiology of menopause. 4-Vinylcyclohexene diepoxide treatment leads to early ovarian failure (OF) and a hormonal profile comparable to menopause in humans. We have hypothesized that OF can compromise the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic tones of the cardiovascular system, shifting toward dominance of the former. We aimed to study the autonomic modulation of heart and blood vessels and the cardiovascular reflexes in rats presenting short-term (80 days) or long-term (180 days) OF induced by VCD. Twenty-eight-day-old Wistar rats were submitted to VCD treatment (160 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) or vehicle (control) for 15 consecutive days and experiments were conducted at 80 or 180 days after the onset of treatment. Long-term OF led to an increase in the sympathetic activity to blood vessels and an impairment in the baroreflex control of the heart, evoked by physiological changes in arterial pressure. Despite that, long-term OF did not cause hypertension during the 180 days of exposure. Short-term OF did not cause any deleterious effect on the cardiovascular parameters analyzed. These data indicate that long-term OF does not disrupt the maintenance of arterial pressure homeostasis in rats but worsens the autonomic cardiovascular control. In turn, this can lead to cardiovascular complications, especially when associated with the aging process seen during human menopause.

Effect of gamma-irradiation on mouse pancreatic islet-allograft survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanai, T.; Porter, J.; Gotoh, M.; Monaco, A.P.; Maki, T.

1989-01-01

Elimination or inactivation of lymphoid tissue in the pancreatic islet preparation achieves prolongation of islet-allograft survival. In this study we examined the effect of gamma-irradiation on mouse islet-allograft survival. In a B6AF1 isograft model, irradiation up to 2400 rad did not induce deterioration of islet function over 200 days, but greater doses caused cessation of graft function between 83 and 186 days. When DBA/2 crude islets were transplanted into B6AF1 recipients, all nonirradiated allografts were acutely rejected. Marked prolongation of allograft survival was achieved by islet irradiation with doses between 800 and 12,000 rad. With higher doses, significant numbers of allografts survived beyond the controls, but many lost function between 78 and 180 days, with none surviving greater than 200 days. Irradiation with 16,000 rad caused acute radiation damage. Because most secondary islet allografts in recipient mice that lost primary islet-graft function between 84 and 195 days survived greater than 100 days, late functional loss was probably due to the radiation injury. Combined use of recipient treatment with cyclosporin A and graft irradiation (2400 rad) achieved prolongation of DBA/2 islets in B6AF1 mice

Long-term effect of prazosin administration on blood pressure, heart and structure of coronary artery of young spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Kristek, F; Koprdova, R

2011-06-01

The sympathetic nervous system belongs to the essential systems participating in blood pressure (BP) regulation. Inhibitory intervention into the key point of its operation (alfa 1 adrenoceptors) in the prehypertensive period of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) might affect the development of the hypertension in later ontogenic periods. We studied the long-term effect of prazosin administration on the cardiovascular system of young Wistar rats and SHR. Four-week-old animals were used: Wistar rats, SHR, and Wistar rats and SHR receiving prazosin (10 mg/kg/day in tap water) by gavage. Blood pressure (BP) was measured weekly by the plethysmographic method. After six weeks under anaesthesia, the carotid artery was cannulated for BP registration, and the jugular vein was cannulated for administration of drugs. Afterwards, the animals were perfused with a glutaraldehyde fixative at a pressure of 120 mmHg. The septal branch of the left descending coronary artery was processed using electron microscopy. The prazosin administration evoked the following results in both groups: a decrease of BP and heart/body weight ratio, enhancement of hypotensive responses to acetylcholine (0.1 μg, 1 μg, and 10 μg), and an increase in the inner diameter of the coronary artery without changes in wall thickness, cross sectional area (CSA) (tunica intima+media), CSA of smooth muscle cells, and extracellular matrix. In the SHR group, a reduction was observed in BP increase after noradrenaline (1 μg) application. CSA of endothelial cells which was decreased in the SHR (compared to the control Wistar rats) was increased after prazosin treatment (up to control value). Long-term prazosin administration from early ontogeny partially prevented some pathological alterations in the cardiovascular system of SHR.

[Attitude towards organ and tissue donation in Europe : Prerequisite for osteochondral allograft treatment].

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, S; Schulte, A; Schwarz, S; Hofmann, N; Tietz, S; Boergel, M; Sixt, S U

2017-11-01

The biggest obstacle to overcome for routine treatment of various pathologies with fresh osteochondral allograft is the availability of tissue for transplantation. Large fresh osteochondral allografts are usually harvested from organ donors, but in contrast to organs, tissues can be procured after cardiac arrest. Medical staff as well the general public are much less aware of the possibilities and requirements of tissue donation compared to organ donation. This review aims to highlight the current situation of organ and tissue donation in Europe and to raise this much needed awareness. For this research, PubMed database was scanned using the terms "tissue/organ donation", "bone donation/transplantation", "cartilage transplantation/allografts" and "osteochrondral allografts". Relatives of potential donors are often not approached because physicians and nurses do not feel sufficiently prepared for this task and, thus, are reluctant to address this topic. Different options could alleviate the pressure medical staff is feeling. Furthermore, there are different factors influencing consent that can be addressed to increase donation rates. Currently, a lot of potential concerning musculoskeletal tissue grafts remains unused. Most importantly, families should be encouraged to speak about their potenzial will to donate and educational programs should be established to increase trust in organ and tissue donation and the allocation system and to increase knowledge about the importance of transplantation medicine. But joined efforts of different parts of the medical systems and different organizations involved in tissue transplantation should improve the situation for patients waiting for much needed transplants.

Allografts versus Equine Xenografts in Calcaneal Fracture Repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Sonmez, Mehmet Mesut; Armagan, Raffi; Ugurlar, Meric; Eren, Tugrul

Displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures are difficult to treat. We determined the functional results and complications of using allografts or equine xenografts in treating these fractures. We reviewed patients seen at our center from May 2011 to December 2014 with Sanders type III or IV unilateral calcaneal fractures treated with locking plates and an additional bone allograft or equine xenograft. A minimum of 1 year after surgery, a history of infection and functional outcomes were assessed using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society clinical rating system. Changes in the Gissane angle (GA) and Böhler angle were assessed from radiographs. Of the 91 eligible patients, 15 were lost to follow-up, leaving a sample of 76 patients (42 males): 45 received allografts (19 for type III and 26 for type IV fractures) and 31 received xenografts (20 for type III and 11 for type IV fractures). The mean age was about 40 years in both groups. After ≥1 year of follow-up, the proportion of patients in the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society scoring categories did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (mean ankle score, 86.5 in the allograft group and 85.1 in the xenograft group), and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society functional outcomes were good or excellent in 69% and 68%, respectively (p = .986). The groups did not differ in the incidence of superficial or deep infection (p = 1.000). The Böhler angles were significantly decreased in the xenograft group. Xenografts might be preferred for repairing intra-articular calcaneal fractures because they can perform as well as allografts, avoid donor site morbidities, and are more available and less expensive than allografts. Copyright © 2017 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Histomorphological Assessment of Phlebitis in Renal Allografts

Science.gov (United States)

Jurčić, Vesna; Jeruc, Jera; Marić, Stela; Ferluga, Dušan

2007-01-01

Aim To evaluate the histomorphological features of veins in normal and transplanted kidneys. Methods Between 1992 and 1997 at the Institute of Pathology in Ljubljana, we semiquantitatively evaluated histomorphological changes in veins in nephrectomy specimens of 29 renal allografts with rejection and in 31 control kidneys. The structure of different segments of renal veins was additionally analyzed. Results Small interlobular veins were composed of endothelium and basement membrane, similar to capillaries, while the walls of large interlobular and arcuate veins had smooth muscle cell bundles forming the medial layer, similar to large extrarenal veins. In the control group, only focal mononuclear infiltration around small interlobular veins was found (8/31). In rejected kidney allografts, the veins were frequently infiltrated with inflammatory cells, predominantly T lymphocytes and macrophages (29/29). Other changes included thrombosis (16/29), fibrinoid necrosis (7/29), and sclerosis (9/29), and in one case an intimal lipid deposition. Conclusion This study, performed on whole explanted kidney specimens, revealed that rejection vasculitis often involved extrarenal and intrarenal veins, showing a whole spectrum of histopathological changes similar to those in arteries. Since large intrarenal veins have a muscle wall, we believe that the term »rejection phlebitis« could be used in renal transplant pathology. PMID:17589975

Bed-side inferior vena cava diameter and mean arterial pressure predict long-term mortality in hospitalized patients with heart failure: 36 months of follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, Daniele; Cuttitta, Francesco; Paterna, Salvatore; Garofano, Alessandro; Conti, Giosafat; Pinto, Antonio; Parrinello, Gaspare

2016-03-01

In discharged patients with heart failure (HF), diverse conditions can intervene to worsen outcome. We would investigate whether such factors present on hospital admission can affect long-term mortality in subjects hospitalized for acute HF. One hundred twenty-three consecutive patients hospitalized for acute HF (mean age 74.8 years; 57% female) were recruited and followed for 36 months after hospitalization. At multivariate Cox model, only inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter and mean arterial pressure (MAP) registered bed-side on admission, resulted, after correction for all confounders factors, the sole factors significantly associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in long-term (HR 1.06, p=0.0057; HR 0.97, p=0.0218; respectively). Study population was subdivided according to median values of IVC diameter (23 mm) and MAP (93.3 mm Hg). The Kaplan–Meier curve showed that HF patients with both IVC ≥ 23 mm and MAP b93.3 mm Hg on admission had reduced probability of survival free from all-cause death (log rank p = 0.0070 and log rank p = 0.0028, respectively). In patients hospitalized for acute HF, IVC diameter, measured by hand-carried ultrasound (HCU), and MAP detected on admission are strong predictors of long-term all-cause mortality. The data suggest the need for a careful clinical-therapeutic surveillance on these patients during the post-discharge period. IVC diameter and MAP can be utilized as parameters to stratify prognosis on admission and to be supervised during follow-up. Copyright © 2015 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rejet en transplantation cardiaque : au-delà du C4d, les nouveaux marqueurs biologiques, immunologiques et cellulaires

OpenAIRE

Tible , Marion

2014-01-01

Cardiac transplantation is currently the only option for long-term treatment for patients with terminal heart failure. Despite considerable advances in immunosuppressive therapy, allograft rejection remains a major cause of graft loss. In this regard, recent studies have highlighted the importance of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) as an important contributory factor in the evolution of vascular graft disease and, ultimately, graft loss. The cornerstone of the rejection diagnosis is based o...

Endoscopic versus transcranial procurement of allograft tympano-ossicular systems: a prospective double-blind randomized controlled audit.

Science.gov (United States)

Caremans, Jeroen; Hamans, Evert; Muylle, Ludo; Van de Heyning, Paul; Van Rompaey, Vincent

2016-06-01

Allograft tympano-ossicular systems (ATOS) have proven their use over many decades in tympanoplasty and reconstruction after resection of cholesteatoma. The transcranial bone plug technique has been used in the past 50 years to procure en bloc ATOS (tympanic membrane with malleus, incus and stapes attached). Recently, our group reported the feasibility of the endoscopic procurement technique. The aim of this study was to assess whether clinical outcome is equivalent in ATOS acquired by using the endoscopic procurement technique compared to ATOS acquired by using the transcranial technique. A double-blind randomized controlled audit was performed in a tertiary referral center in patients that underwent allograft tympanoplasty because of chronic otitis media with and without cholesteatoma. Allograft epithelialisation was evaluated at the short-term postoperative visit by microscopic examination. Failures were reported if reperforation was observed. Fifty patients underwent allograft tympanoplasty: 34 received endoscopically procured ATOS and 16 received transcranially procured ATOS. One failed case was observed, in the endoscopic procurement group. We did not observe a statistically significant difference between the two groups in failure rate. This study demonstrates equivalence of the clinical outcome of allograft tympanoplasty using either endoscopic or transcranial procured ATOS and therefore indicates that the endoscopic technique can be considered the new standard procurement technique. Especially because the endoscopic procurement technique has several advantages compared to the former transcranial procurement technique: it avoids risk of prion transmission and it is faster while lacking any noticeable incision.

Long-Term Adjustment after Surviving Open Heart Surgery: The Effect of Using Prayer for Coping Replicated in a Prospective Design

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Ai, A. L.; Ladd, K. L.; Peterson, C.; Cook, C. A.; Shearer, M.; Koenig, H. G.

2010-01-01

Purpose: Despite the growing evidence for effects of religious factors on cardiac health in general populations, findings are not always consistent in sicker and older populations. We previously demonstrated that short-term negative outcomes (depression and anxiety) among older adults following open heart surgery are partially alleviated when…

Total Artificial Heart as Rescue Therapy for Primary Graft Failure in an Infant.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziegler, Luke A; Sainathan, Sandeep; Morell, Victor O; Sharma, Mahesh S

2018-04-01

An infant unable to be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass after orthotopic heart transplantation was cannulated for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. During the next 3 days, allograft failure and intracardiac thrombosis necessitated cardiectomy. To provide acute mechanical circulatory support, artificial atrial chambers were constructed with Gore-Tex conduits and PediMag centrifugal pumps were connected to each by Berlin Heart EXCOR cannulae. The PediMag pumps were subsequently exchanged for 10-mL Berlin Heart EXCOR pumps. After 60 days of support by total artificial heart, the patient was bridged successfully to a second heart transplant. Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of vascularization of transplanted processed allograft nerve on return of motor function in rats.

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Giusti, Guilherme; Lee, Joo-Yup; Kremer, Thomas; Friedrich, Patricia; Bishop, Allen T; Shin, Alexander Y

2016-02-01

Processed nerve allografts have become an alternative to repair segmental nerve defects, with results comparable with autografts regarding sensory recovery; however, they have failed to reproduce comparable motor recovery. The purpose of this study was to determine how revascularizaton of processed nerve allograft would affect motor recovery. Eighty-eight rats were divided in four groups of 22 animals each. A unilateral 10-mm sciatic nerve defect was repaired with allograft (group I), allograft wrapped with silicone conduit (group II), allograft augmented with vascular endothelial growth factor (group III), or autograft (group IV). Eight animals from each group were sacrificed at 3 days, and the remaining animals at 16 weeks. Revascularization was evaluated by measuring the graft capillary density at 3 days and 16 weeks. Measurements of ankle contracture, compound muscle action potential, tibialis anterior muscle weight and force, and nerve histomorphometry were performed at 16 weeks. All results were normalized to the contralateral side. The results of capillary density at 3 days were 0.99% ± 1.3% for group I, 0.33% ± 0.6% for group II, 0.05% ± 0.1% for group III, and 75.6% ± 45.7% for group IV. At 16 weeks, the results were 69.9% ± 22.4% for group I, 37.0% ± 16.6% for group II, 84.6% ± 46.6% for group III, and 108.3% ± 46.8% for group IV. The results of muscle force were 47.5% ± 14.4% for group I, 21.7% ± 13.5% for group II, 47.1% ± 7.9% for group III, and 54.4% ± 10.6% for group IV. The use of vascular endothelial growth factor in the fashion used in this study improved neither the nerve allograft short-term revascularization nor the functional motor recovery after 16 weeks. Blocking allograft vascularization from surrounding tissues was detrimental for motor recovery. The processed nerve allografts used in this study showed similar functional motor recovery compared with that of the autograft. © 2014

Renal allograft loss in the first post-operative month: causes and consequences.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Phelan, Paul J

2013-01-15

Early transplant failure is a devastating outcome after kidney transplantation. We report the causes and consequences of deceased donor renal transplant failure in the first 30 d at our center between January 1990 and December 2009. Controls were adult deceased donor transplant patients in the same period with an allograft that functioned >30 d. The incidence of early graft failure in our series of 2381 consecutive deceased donor transplants was 4.6% (n = 109). The causes of failure were allograft thrombosis (n = 48; 44%), acute rejection (n = 19; 17.4%), death with a functioning allograft (n = 17; 15.6%), primary non-function (n = 14;12.8%), and other causes (n = 11; 10.1%). Mean time to allograft failure was 7.3 d. There has been a decreased incidence of all-cause early failure from 7% in 1990 to <1% in 2009. Patients who developed early failure had longer cold ischemia times when compared with patients with allografts lasting >30 d (p < 0.001). Early allograft failure was strongly associated with reduced patient survival (p < 0.001). In conclusion, early renal allograft failure is associated with a survival disadvantage, but has thankfully become less common in recent years.

Functional Gain After Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation: Correlates and Impact on Long-Term Survival.

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Scrutinio, Domenico; Monitillo, Vincenzo; Guida, Pietro; Nardulli, Roberto; Multari, Vincenzo; Monitillo, Francesco; Calabrese, Gianluigi; Fiore, Pietro

2015-10-01

Prediction of functional outcome after stroke rehabilitation (SR) is a growing field of interest. The association between SR and survival still remains elusive. We sought to investigate the factors associated with functional outcome after SR and whether the magnitude of functional improvement achieved with rehabilitation is associated with long-term mortality risk. The study population consisted of 722 patients admitted for SR within 90 days of stroke onset, with an admission functional independence measure (FIM) score of stroke onset to rehabilitation admission (PStroke Scale score at rehabilitation admission (P<0.001), and aphasia (P=0.021) were independently associated with FIM gain. The R2 of the model was 0.275. During a median follow-up of 6.17 years, 36.9% of the patients died. At multivariable Cox analysis, age (P<0.0001), coronary heart disease (P=0.018), atrial fibrillation (P=0.042), total cholesterol (P=0.015), and total FIM gain (P<0.0001) were independently associated with mortality. The adjusted hazard ratio for death significantly decreased across tertiles of increasing FIM gain. Several factors are independently associated with functional gain after SR. Our findings strongly suggest that the magnitude of functional improvement is a powerful predictor of long-term mortality in patients admitted for SR. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Significant prolongation of segmental pancreatic allograft survival in two species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du Toit, D.F.; Heydenrych, J.J.

1988-06-01

A study was conducted to assess the suppression of segmental pancreatic allograft rejection by cyclosporine (CSA) alone in baboons and dogs, and subtotal marrow irradiation (TL1) alone and TL 1 in combination with CSA in baboons. Total pancreatectomy in the dog and primate provided a reliable diabetic model, induced an absolute deficiency of insulin and was uniformly lethal if not treated. Continuous administration of CSA in baboons resulted in modest allograft survival. As in baboons, dogs receiving CSA 25 mg/kg/d rendered moderate graft prolongation but a dose of 40 mg/kg/d resulted in significant graft survival (greater than 100 days) in 5 of 8 allograft recipients. Irradiation alone resulted in minimal baboon pancreatic allograft survival of 20 baboons receiving TL1 1,000 rad and CSA, 3 had graft survival greater than of 100 days. Of 15 baboons receiving TL1 800 rad and CSA, 6 had graft survival of greater than 100 days. In conclusion, CSA administration in dogs and TL1 in combination with CSA in baboons resulted in highly significant segmental pancreatic allograft survival.

Significant prolongation of segmental pancreatic allograft survival in two species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Toit, D.F.; Heydenrych, J.J.

1988-01-01

A study was conducted to assess the suppression of segmental pancreatic allograft rejection by cyclosporine (CSA) alone in baboons and dogs, and subtotal marrow irradiation (TL1) alone and TL 1 in combination with CSA in baboons. Total pancreatectomy in the dog and primate provided a reliable diabetic model, induced an absolute deficiency of insulin and was uniformly lethal if not treated. Continuous administration of CSA in baboons resulted in modest allograft survival. As in baboons, dogs receiving CSA 25 mg/kg/d rendered moderate graft prolongation but a dose of 40 mg/kg/d resulted in significant graft survival (greater than 100 days) in 5 of 8 allograft recipients. Irradiation alone resulted in minimal baboon pancreatic allograft survival of 20 baboons receiving TL1 1,000 rad and CSA, 3 had graft survival greater than of 100 days. Of 15 baboons receiving TL1 800 rad and CSA, 6 had graft survival of greater than 100 days. In conclusion, CSA administration in dogs and TL1 in combination with CSA in baboons resulted in highly significant segmental pancreatic allograft survival

History of osteochondral allograft transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolaou, V S; Giannoudis, P V

2017-07-01

Osteochondral defects or injuries represent the most challenging entities to treat, especially when occur to young and active patients. For centuries, it has been recognized that such defects are almost impossible to treat. However, surgeons have never stopped the effort to develop reliable methods to restore articular cartilage and salvage the endangered joint function. Osteochondral allograft transplantation in human was first introduced by Eric Lexer in 1908. Since that era, several pioneers have been worked in the field of osteochondral allotransplantation, presenting and developing the basic research, the methodology and the surgical techniques. Herein we present in brief, the history and the early clinical results of osteochondral allograft transplantation in human. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term urethral catheterisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Bruce; Dickens, Nicola

This article discusses long-term urethral catheterisation, focusing on the relevant anatomy and physiology, indications for the procedure, catheter selection and catheter care. It is important that nurses have a good working knowledge of long-term catheterisation as the need for this intervention will increase with the rise in chronic health conditions and the ageing population.

A single administration of LFA-1 antibody confers prolonged allograft survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Talento, A; Nguyen, M; Blake, T; Sirotina, A; Fioravanti, C; Burkholder, D; Gibson, R; Sigal, N H; Springer, M S; Koo, G C

1993-02-01

C57BL/6 (B6) thyroid gland transplanted to the left kidney capsule of an allogeneic (BALB/c) host was typically rejected in 14 days. A single administration of 500 micrograms of an antibody to the adhesion molecule, leucocyte function-associated antigen (LFA-1, CD11a), prevented all thyroid allograft rejection for at least 70 days. Fifty percent of the treated recipients retained intact allografts for 470 days. However, the same treatment with anti-CD11a could not protect a sensitized BALB/c mouse from rejecting a second B6 thyroid allograft. Production of donor-specific alloantibodies elicited by allograft rejection was also inhibited in this system. In this transplant model, the Ab therapy is more efficacious than that of FK506, administered daily for 14 days at 15 mg/kg. These results demonstrate the remarkable effect of an anti-LFA-1 antibody in promotion of allograft survival.

Eosinophil count, allergies, and rejection in pediatric heart transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Arbon, Kate S; Albers, Erin; Kemna, Mariska; Law, Sabrina; Law, Yuk

2015-08-01

Allograft rejection and long-term immunosuppression remain significant challenges in pediatric heart transplantation. Pediatric recipients are known to have fewer rejection episodes and to develop more allergic conditions than adults. A T-helper 2 cell dominant phenotype, manifested clinically by allergies and an elevated eosinophil count, may be associated with immunologic quiescence in transplant recipients. This study assessed whether the longitudinal eosinophil count and an allergic phenotype were associated with freedom from rejection. This single-center, longitudinal, observational study included 86 heart transplant patients monitored from 1994 to 2011. Post-transplant biannual complete blood counts, allergic conditions, and clinical characteristics related to rejection risk were examined. At least 1 episode of acute cellular rejection (ACR) occurred in 38 patients (44%), antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) occurred in 11 (13%), and 49 patients (57%) were diagnosed with an allergic condition. Patients with ACR or AMR had a lower eosinophil count compared with non-rejectors (p = 0.011 and p = 0.022, respectively). In the multivariable regression analysis, the presence of panel reactive antibodies to human leukocyte antigen I (p = 0.014) and the median eosinophil count (p = 0.011) were the only independent covariates associated with AMR. Eosinophil count (p = 0.010) and female sex (p = 0.009) were independent risk factors for ACR. Allergic conditions or young age at transplant were not protective from rejection. This study demonstrates a novel association between a high eosinophil count and freedom from rejection. Identifying a biomarker for low rejection risk may allow a reduction in immunosuppression. Further investigation into the role of the T-helper 2 cell phenotype and eosinophils in rejection quiescence is warranted. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Complete Treatment Versus Residual Lesion - Long-Term Evolution After Acute Coronary Syndrome

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Alexandre de Matos Soeiro

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: A recently published study raised doubts about the need for percutaneous treatment of nonculprit lesions in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS. Methods: Retrospective, unicentric, observational study. Objective: To analyze the long-term outcomes in patients undergoing treatment of the culprit artery, comparing those who remained with significant residual lesions in nonculprit arteries (group I versus those without residual lesions in other coronary artery beds (group II. The study included 580 patients (284 in group I and 296 in group II between May 2010 and May 2013. We obtained demographic and clinical data, as well as information regarding the coronary treatment administered to the patients. In the statistical analysis, the primary outcome included combined events (reinfarction/angina, death, heart failure, and need for reintervention. The comparison between groups was performed using the chi-square test and ANOVA. The long-term analysis was conducted with the Kaplan-Meier method, with a mean follow-up of 9.86 months. Results: The mean ages were 63 years in group I and 62 years in group II. On long-term follow-up, there was no significant difference in combined events in groups I and II (31.9% versus 35.6%, respectively, p = 0.76. Conclusion: The strategy of treating the culprit artery alone seems safe. In this study, no long-term differences in combined endpoints were observed between patients who remained with significant lesions compared with those without other obstructions.

Dose response of fish oil versus safflower oil on graft arteriosclerosis in rabbit heterotopic cardiac allografts.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, K L; Fann, J I; Sokoloff, M H; Fong, L G; Sarris, G E; Billingham, M E; Miller, D C

1991-01-01

With the advent of cyclosporin A, accelerated coronary arteriosclerosis has become the major impediment to the long-term survival of heart transplant recipients. Due to epidemiologic reports suggesting a salutary effect of fish oil, the dose response of fish oil on graft coronary arteriosclerosis in a rabbit heterotopic cardiac allograft model was assessed using safflower oil as a caloric control. Seven groups of New Zealand White rabbits (n = 10/group) received heterotropic heart transplants from Dutch-Belted donors and were immunosuppressed with low-dose cyclosporin A (7.5 mg/kg/day). Group 1 animals were fed a normal diet and served as control. Group 2, 3, and 4 animals received a daily supplement of low- (0.25 mL/kg/day), medium- (0.75 mL/kg/day), and high- (1.5 mL/kg/day) dose fish oil (116 mg n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid/mL), respectively. Group 5, 6, and 7 animals were supplemented with equivalent dose of safflower oil (i.e., 0.25, 0.75, and 1.5 mL/kg/day). Oil-supplemented rabbits were pretreated for 3 weeks before transplantation and maintained on the same diet for 6 weeks after operation. The extent of graft coronary arteriosclerosis was quantified using computer-assisted, morphometric planimetry. When the animals were killed, cyclosporin A was associated with elevated plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the control group. While safflower oil prevented the increase in plasma lipids at all dosages, fish oil ameliorated the cyclosporin-induced increase in total cholesterol only with high doses. Compared to control animals, there was a trend for more graft vessel disease with increasing fish oil dose, as assessed by mean luminal occlusion and intimal thickness. A steeper trend was observed for increasing doses of safflower oil; compared to the high-dose safflower oil group, animals supplemented with low-dose safflower oil had less mean luminal occlusion (16.3% +/- 5.9% versus 41.4% +/- 7.6%, p less than 0.017) and intimal thickness (7

Long-Term Low Intensity Physical Exercise Attenuates Heart Failure Development in Aging Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

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Luana U. Pagan

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Physical exercise is a strategy to control hypertension and attenuate pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling. The influence of exercise on cardiac remodeling during uncontrolled hypertension is not established. We evaluated the effects of a long-term low intensity aerobic exercise protocol on heart failure (HF development and cardiac remodeling in aging spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR. Methods: Sixteen month old SHR (n=50 and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY, n=35 rats were divided into sedentary (SED and exercised (EX groups. Rats exercised in treadmill at 12 m/min, 30 min/day, 5 days/week, for four months. The frequency of HF features was evaluated at euthanasia. Statistical analyses: ANOVA and Tukey or Mann-Whitney, and Goodman test. Results: Despite slightly higher systolic blood pressure, SHR-EX had better functional capacity and lower HF frequency than SHR-SED. Echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging showed no differences between SHR groups. In SHR-EX, however, left ventricular (LV systolic diameter, larger in SHR-SED than WKY-SED, and endocardial fractional shortening, lower in SHR-SED than WKY-SED, had values between those in WKY-EX and SHR-SED not differing from either group. Myocardial function, assessed in LV papillary muscles, showed improvement in SHR-EX over SHR-SED and WKY-EX. LV myocardial collagen fraction and type I and III collagen gene expression were increased in SHR groups. Myocardial hydroxyproline concentration was lower in SHR-EX than SHR-SED. Lysyl oxidase gene expression was higher in SHR-SED than WKY-SED. Conclusion: Exercise improves functional capacity and reduces decompensated HF in aging SHR independent of elevated arterial pressure. Improvement in functional status is combined with attenuation of LV and myocardial dysfunction and fibrosis.

Automatic allograft bone selection through band registration and its application to distal femur.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Qiu, Lei; Li, Fengzan; Zhang, Qing; Zhang, Li; Niu, Xiaohui

2017-09-01

Clinical reports suggest that large bone defects could be effectively restored by allograft bone transplantation, where allograft bone selection acts an important role. Besides, there is a huge demand for developing the automatic allograft bone selection methods, as the automatic methods could greatly improve the management efficiency of the large bone banks. Although several automatic methods have been presented to select the most suitable allograft bone from the massive allograft bone bank, these methods still suffer from inaccuracy. In this paper, we propose an effective allograft bone selection method without using the contralateral bones. Firstly, the allograft bone is globally aligned to the recipient bone by surface registration. Then, the global alignment is further refined through band registration. The band, defined as the recipient points within the lifted and lowered cutting planes, could involve more local structure of the defected segment. Therefore, our method could achieve robust alignment and high registration accuracy of the allograft and recipient. Moreover, the existing contour method and surface method could be unified into one framework under our method by adjusting the lift and lower distances of the cutting planes. Finally, our method has been validated on the database of distal femurs. The experimental results indicate that our method outperforms the surface method and contour method.

Reduced Right Ventricular Function Predicts Long-Term Cardiac Re-Hospitalization after Cardiac Surgery.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leela K Lella

Full Text Available The significance of right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF, independent of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG and valve procedures remains unknown. The aim of this study is to examine the significance of abnormal RVEF by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR, independent of LVEF in predicting outcomes of patients undergoing isolated CABG and valve surgery.From 2007 to 2009, 109 consecutive patients (mean age, 66 years; 38% female were referred for pre-operative CMR. Abnormal RVEF and LVEF were considered 30 days outcomes included, cardiac re-hospitalization, worsening congestive heart failure and mortality. Mean clinical follow up was 14 months.Forty-eight patients had reduced RVEF (mean 25% and 61 patients had normal RVEF (mean 50% (p<0.001. Fifty-four patients had reduced LVEF (mean 30% and 55 patients had normal LVEF (mean 59% (p<0.001. Patients with reduced RVEF had a higher incidence of long-term cardiac re-hospitalization vs. patients with normal RVEF (31% vs.13%, p<0.05. Abnormal RVEF was a predictor for long-term cardiac re-hospitalization (HR 3.01 [CI 1.5-7.9], p<0.03. Reduced LVEF did not influence long-term cardiac re-hospitalization.Abnormal RVEF is a stronger predictor for long-term cardiac re-hospitalization than abnormal LVEF in patients undergoing isolated CABG and valve procedures.

Inability to determine tissue health is main indication of allograft use in intermediate extent burns.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, John L; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Sinha, Indranil; Leung, Kai P; Renz, Evan M; Chan, Rodney K

2015-12-01

Cutaneous allograft is commonly used in the early coverage of excised burns when autograft is unavailable. However, allograft is also applied in intermediate-extent burns (25-50%), during cases in which it is possible to autograft. In this population, there is a paucity of data on the indications for allograft use. This study explores the indications for allograft usage in moderate size burns. Under an IRB-approved protocol, patients admitted to our burn unit between March 2003 and December 2010 were identified through a review of the burn registry. Data on allograft use, total burn surface area, operation performed, operative intent, number of operations, intensive care unit length of stay, and overall length of stay were collected and analyzed. Data are presented as means±standard deviations, except where noted. In the study period, 146 patients received allograft during their acute hospitalization. Twenty-five percent of allograft recipients sustained intermediate-extent burns. Patients with intermediate-extent burns received allograft later in their hospitalization than those with large-extent (50-75% TBSA) burns (6.8 days vs. 3.4 days, p=0.01). Allografted patients with intermediate-extent burns underwent more operations (10.8 vs. 6.1, p=0.002) and had longer hospitalizations (78.3 days vs. 40.9 days, ppatients, when controlled for TBSA. Clinical rationale for placement of allograft in this population included autograft failure, uncertain depth of excision, lack of autograft donor site, and wound complexity. When uncertain depth of excision was the indication, allograft was universally applied onto the face. In half of allografted intermediate-extent burn patients the inability to identify a viable recipient bed was the ultimate reason for allograft use. Unlike large body surface area burns, allograft skin use in intermediate-extent injury occurs later in the hospitalization and is driven by the inability to determine wound bed suitability for autograft

[Long term effect of hepatitis B and C virus infection on the survival of kidney transplant patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Corrêa, José Roberto Missel; Rocha, Fabrício Domingos; Peres, Alessandro Afonso; Gonçalves, Luiz Felipe; Manfro, Roberto Ceratti

2003-01-01

To evaluate the impact of HCV (hepatitis C virus) and HBV (hepatitis B virus) infection on long-term graft and patient survival in renal transplantation. One hundred and nine kidney allograft recipients were evaluated regarding the presence of antibodies against HCV and hepatitis B surface antigen. Patients were divided into four groups according to their serologic status and followed for ten years for survival analysis. Age, gender, renal failure etiology, length of previous dialysis and post transplantation periods were evaluated. Length on dialysis time was significantly longer in the anti-HCV positive group. There was also a higher number of patients with re-transplants in the HBV and HCV groups. There were no significant differences in 10-year patient survival in the anti-HCV positive group (71.0%; relative risk: 1.13; CI: 0.86-1.47) and in the HBV infected group (77.8%; relative risk: 1.03; CI: 0.7-1.5) compared to the not infected group (80%). However, the group of patients infected with both viruses presented a significantly lower 10-year patient survival (37.5%; relative risk: 2.13; CI: 0.86-5.28) compared to the index group. There were no significant differences on graft survival among the groups. In the present study renal transplant patients infected concomitantly with HBV and HCV present a significantly lower long-term patient survival.

Long-term associative learning predicts verbal short-term memory performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Gary; Macken, Bill

2018-02-01

Studies using tests such as digit span and nonword repetition have implicated short-term memory across a range of developmental domains. Such tests ostensibly assess specialized processes for the short-term manipulation and maintenance of information that are often argued to enable long-term learning. However, there is considerable evidence for an influence of long-term linguistic learning on performance in short-term memory tasks that brings into question the role of a specialized short-term memory system separate from long-term knowledge. Using natural language corpora, we show experimentally and computationally that performance on three widely used measures of short-term memory (digit span, nonword repetition, and sentence recall) can be predicted from simple associative learning operating on the linguistic environment to which a typical child may have been exposed. The findings support the broad view that short-term verbal memory performance reflects the application of long-term language knowledge to the experimental setting.

Long-term survival of transplanted allogeneic cells engineered to express a T cell chemorepellent.

Science.gov (United States)

Papeta, Natalia; Chen, Tao; Vianello, Fabrizio; Gererty, Lyle; Malik, Ashish; Mok, Ying-Ting; Tharp, William G; Bagley, Jessamyn; Zhao, Guiling; Stevceva, Liljana; Yoon, Victor; Sykes, Megan; Sachs, David; Iacomini, John; Poznansky, Mark C

2007-01-27

Alloantigen specific T cells have been shown to be required for allograft rejection. The chemokine, stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) at high concentration, has been shown to act as a T-cell chemorepellent and abrogate T-cell infiltration into a site of antigen challenge in vivo via a mechanism termed fugetaxis or chemorepulsion. We postulated that this mechanism could be exploited therapeutically and that allogeneic cells engineered to express a chemorepellent protein would not be rejected. Allogeneic murine insulinoma beta-TC3 cells and primary islets from BALB/C mice were engineered to constitutively secrete differential levels of SDF-1 and transplanted into allogeneic diabetic C57BL/6 mice. Rejection was defined as the permanent return of hyperglycemia and was correlated with the level of T-cell infiltration. The migratory response of T-cells to SDF-1 was also analyzed by transwell migration assay and time-lapse videomicroscopy. The cytotoxicity of cytotoxic T cell (CTLs) against beta-TC3 cells expressing high levels of SDF-1 was measured in standard and modified chromium-release assays in order to determine the effect of CTL migration on killing efficacy. Control animals rejected allogeneic cells and remained diabetic. In contrast, high level SDF-1 production by transplanted cells resulted in increased survival of the allograft and a significant reduction in blood glucose levels and T-cell infiltration into the transplanted tissue. This is the first demonstration of a novel approach that exploits T-cell chemorepulsion to induce site specific immune isolation and thereby overcomes allograft rejection without the use of systemic immunosuppression.

Early aspirin use and the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Miae; Bergmark, Brian A; Zelniker, Thomas A; Mehra, Mandeep R; Stewart, Garrick C; Page, Deborah S; Woodcome, Erica L; Smallwood, Jennifer A; Gabardi, Steven; Givertz, Michael M

2017-12-01

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Little is known about the influence of aspirin on clinical expression of CAV. We followed 120 patients with OHT at a single center for a median of 7 years and categorized them by the presence or absence of early aspirin therapy post-transplant (aspirin treatment ≥6 months in the first year). The association between aspirin use and time to the primary end-point of angiographic moderate or severe CAV (International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation grade ≥2) was investigated. Propensity scores for aspirin treatment were estimated using boosting models and applied by inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Despite a preponderance of risk factors for CAV among patients receiving aspirin (male sex, ischemic heart disease as the etiology of heart failure, and smoking), aspirin therapy was associated with a lower rate of moderate or severe CAV at 5 years. Event-free survival was 95.9% for patients exposed to aspirin compared with 79.6% for patients without aspirin exposure (log-rank p = 0.005). IPTW-weighted Cox regression revealed a powerful inverse association between aspirin use and moderate to severe CAV (adjusted hazard ratio 0.13; 95% confidence interval 0.03-0.59), which was directionally consistent for CAV of any severity (adjusted hazard ratio 0.50; 95% confidence interval 0.23-1.08). This propensity score-based comparative observational analysis suggests that early aspirin exposure may be associated with a reduced risk of development of moderate to severe CAV. These findings warrant prospective validation in controlled investigations. Copyright © 2017 International Society for the Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical utility of labeled cells for detection of allograft rejection and myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fawwaz, R.A.

1984-01-01

The choice of a specific radiolabeled blood component for use in detection of allograft rejection depends on several factors including the immunosuppressive agents used, the type of organ allografted, and particularly the length of time the allograft resides in the host and the duration of rejection. To date, only the use of 111In-labeled platelets in renal allograft recipients immunosuppressed with azathioprine and corticosteroids has shown clinical promise in the detection of early allograft rejection. Radiolabeled blood components are unlikely to play a significant role in detection of myocardial infarction. The use of these agents for monitoring therapeutic interventions or as indicators of prognosis in patients with myocardial infarction continues to be investigated

[Cardiac surgery in octogenarian patients: evaluation of predictive factors of mortality, long-term outcome and quality of life].

Science.gov (United States)

Viana-Tejedor, Ana; Domínguez, Francisco J; Moreno Yangüela, Mar; Moreno, Raúl; López de Sá, Esteban; Mesa, José M; López-Sendón, José

2008-10-04

Increasing life expectancy in Western countries in the last decades has resulted in a significant gradual increasing number of octogenarians referred for cardiac surgery. There is a need for a critical evaluation of the long-term surgical outcome and quality of life in the elderly. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors of mortality in octogenarians undergoing cardiac surgery and to assess the long term survival and quality of life. Data were reviewed on 150 patients aged over 80 years--mean age (standard deviation): 82.7 (2.5) years--who underwent cardiac surgery at our institution in the last 26 years. We analyzed clinical and epidemiological variables included in the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (euroSCORE), in-hospital morbidity and mortality, long term survival and quality of life after cardiac surgery. The 30-day mortality rate was 30.1%, with a mean hospital stay of 16.5 days (13-27). Emergent procedure, reparation of postinfarction ventricular ruptures, New York Heart Association functional class IV, chronic renal failure and previous myocardial infarction were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. Mean follow up was 72.2 (9.9) months with survival rates of 87.3% and 57% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Late postoperative quality of life in our 53 long-term survivors was significantly better than prior to surgery. New York Heart Association functional class improved from 2.52 to 1.48. Most survivors (97.7%) were satisfied with present quality of life Cardiac surgery in octogenarians is associated with increased in-hospital mortality rate and longer hospital stay. Our findings support that cardiac surgery can be performed in a selected elderly population with good long-term survival and quality of life.

Meniscal Allograft Transplantation Does Not Prevent or Delay Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine Van Der Straeten

Full Text Available Meniscal tears are common knee injuries. Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT has been advocated to alleviate symptoms and delay osteoarthritis (OA after meniscectomy. We investigated (1 the long-term outcome of MAT as a treatment of symptomatic meniscectomy, (2 most important factors affecting survivorship and (3 OA progression.From 1989 till 2013, 329 MAT were performed in 313 patients. Clinical and radiographic results and MAT survival were evaluated retrospectively. Failure was defined as conversion to knee arthroplasty (KA or total removal of the MAT.Mean age at surgery was 33 years (15-57; 60% were males. No-to-mild cartilage damage was found in 156 cases, moderate-to-severe damage in 130. Simultaneous procedures in 118 patients included cartilage procedures, osteotomy or ACL-reconstruction. At a mean follow-up of 6.8 years (0.2-24.3years, 5 patients were deceased and 48 lost (14.6%, 186 MAT were in situ (56.5% whilst 90 (27.4% had been removed, including 63 converted to a KA (19.2%. Cumulative allograft survivorship was 15.1% (95% CI:13.9-16.3 at 24.0 years. In patients <35 years at surgery, survival was significantly better (24.1% compared to ≥35 years (8.0% (p = 0.017. In knees with no-to-mild cartilage damage more allografts survived (43.0% compared to moderate-to-severe damage (6.6% (p = 0.003. Simultaneous osteotomy significantly deteriorated survival (0% at 24.0 years (p = 0.010. 61% of patients underwent at least one additional surgery (1-11 for clinical symptoms after MAT. Consecutive radiographs showed significant OA progression at a mean of 3.8 years (p<0.0001. Incremental Kellgren-Lawrence grade was +1,1 grade per 1000 days (2,7yrs.MAT did not delay or prevent tibiofemoral OA progression. 19.2% were converted to a knee prosthesis at a mean of 10.3 years. Patients younger than 35 with no-to-mild cartilage damage may benefit from MAT for relief of symptoms (survivorship 51.9% at 20.2 years, but patients and healthcare payers

Long-term outcomes of septal reduction for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sedehi, Daniel; Finocchiaro, Gherardo; Tibayan, Yen; Chi, Jeffrey; Pavlovic, Aleksandra; Kim, Young M; Tibayan, Frederick A; Reitz, Bruce A; Robbins, Robert C; Woo, Joseph; Ha, Richard; Lee, David P; Ashley, Euan A

2015-07-01

Surgical myectomy and alcohol septal ablation (ASA) aim to decrease left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Outcome of myectomy beyond 10 years has rarely been described. We describe 20 years of follow-up of surgical myectomy and 5 years of follow-up for ASA performed for obstructive HCM. We studied 171 patients who underwent myectomy for symptomatic LVOT obstruction between 1972 and 2006. In addition, we studied 52 patients who underwent ASA for the same indication and who declined surgery. Follow-up of New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, echocardiographic data, and vital status were obtained from patient records. Mortality rates were compared with expected mortality rates of age- and sex-matched populations. Surgical myectomy improved NYHA class (2.74±0.65 to 1.54±0.74, phistorical data from non-operated HCM patients. Survival after ASA at 2 and 5 years was 97.8% and 94.7%, respectively. Short-term (5 year) survival after ASA (SMR=0.61, p=0.48) was comparable to that of the general population. Long-term follow-up of septal reduction strategies in obstructive HCM reveals that surgical myectomy and ASA are effective for symptom relief and LVOT gradient reduction and are associated with favorable survival. While overall prognosis for the community HCM population is similar to the general population, the need for surgical myectomy may identify a sub-group with poorer long-term prognosis. We await long-term outcomes of more extensive myectomy approaches adopted in the past 10 years at major institutions. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Use of the Impella Device for Acute Coronary Syndrome Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock - Experience From a Single Heart Center With Analysis of Long-term Mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeter, Marco Robin; Köhler, Herdis; Wachter, Astrid; Bleckmann, Annalen; Hasenfuß, Gerd; Schillinger, Wolfgang

2016-12-01

Impella is a microaxial rotary pump that is placed across the aortic valve to expel aspirated blood from the left ventricle into the ascending aorta; it can be used in cardiogenic shock. While previous studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of the Impella device, more clinically relevant data are necessary, especially with regard to outcomes. We screened our database of Impella patients in our heart center and found 68 consecutive patients who underwent Impella implantation due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) complicated by cardiogenic shock. Data were evaluated with regard to baseline and procedural characteristics and also included an assessment of the short-term and long-term outcomes. The majority of patients (74%) suffered from an ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and 59% of patients received the Impella device during the initial coronary angiography. In the remaining cases, Impella implantation was performed at a later time, most commonly after IABP implantation. Patient characteristics were not significantly different between both groups. The predominantly implanted device was an Impella 2.5. Mortality in the severely ill patient population remained high, but univariate/multivariate analyses identified significant risk factors. Interestingly, delayed initiation of Impella support was an independent predictor of higher long-term mortality (hazard ratio, 2.157; P=.04) within the Impella patient cohort. This large series of patients with ACS complicated by cardiogenic shock who underwent Impella implantation provides information on the relevant risk factors for mortality. Early (compared with delayed) initiation of Impella support was a predictor of improved survival in this population of patients.

Magnetic resonance tomography of the heart

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tscholakoff, D.

1987-01-01

In this experimental study (canine heart) a variety of pathologic conditions of the myocardium were studied using ECG-triggered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study was to examine the MR appearance and the T/sub 2/ relaxation times of occlusive and reperfused myocardial infarcts, of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and of cardiac transplants with and without acute cardiac allograft rejection. MR images were correlated with the results of histology and tissue water content. MRI identified normal myocardium with T/sub 2/ values of 38 (+-4.3) msec. Myocardial infarcts and acute allograft rejection had significant (p<0.05) longer T/sub 2/ values compared to normal myocardium. On the basis of T/sub 2/ relaxation times no further differentiation among different pathologic entities was possible. Therefore, it is necessary to include morphologic criteria such as myocardial wall thickness, cardiac chamber size and intracavitary blood flow signal in the interpretation of cardiac MR tomograms.

Extra-auditory responses to long-term intermittent noise stimulation in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Fruhstorfer, B; Hensel, H

1980-12-01

Respiration, heart rate, cutaneous blood flow, and electroencephalogram (EEG) reactions to long-term intermittent noise exposure were recorded from 13 volunteers (20-29 yr) with normal hearing and vegetative reactivity. They received daily within 1 h 12 noise stimuli (16 s 100 dB (A) white noise) for 10 or 21 days, respectively. Most subjects reported partial subjective adaptation to the noise. Heart rate adapted within a session but did not change considerably during successive days. Vascular responses did not change during one session but diminished mainly during the first 10 days. Noise responses in the EEG remained constant, but a decrease in vigilance occurred during the whole experimental series. Respiration responses were unpredictable and showed no trend within the sessions. It was concluded that certain physiological responses adapt to loud noise but that the time course of adaptation is different. Therefore a general statement about physiological noise adaptation is not possible.

Femoral revision with impaction allografting and an uncemented femoral component

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nickelsen, T N; Erenbjerg, M; Retpen, J B

2008-01-01

A technique for uncemented revision of the femoral component which combines impaction allografting and the use of a long-stemmed proximally coated titanium prostheses (Bimetric, Biomet Inc.) is described. The results after a mean follow-up of 112 months are reported. From 1991 to 1995 femoral...... implants 88% had no pain, 10% had slight pain and only 2% had severe pain. Thirty-eight patients had radiographic signs of remodelling of the graft and/or cortical repair. In cases with a successful outcome, the results have been encouraging in relation to clinical performance, regeneration of bone...

Acute and delayed deferoxamine treatment attenuates long-term sequelae after germinal matrix hemorrhage in neonatal rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Klebe, Damon; Krafft, Paul R; Hoffmann, Clotilde; Lekic, Tim; Flores, Jerry J; Rolland, William; Zhang, John H

2014-08-01

This study investigated if acute and delayed deferoxamine treatment attenuates long-term sequelae after germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH). Bacterial collagenase (0.3 U) was infused intraparenchymally into the right hemispheric ganglionic eminence in P7 rat pups to induce GMH. GMH animals received either deferoxamine or vehicle twice a day for 7 consecutive days. Deferoxamine administration was initiated at either 1 hour or 72 hours post-GMH. Long-term neurocognitive deficits and motor coordination were assessed using Morris water maze, rotarod, and foot fault tests between day 21 to 28 post-GMH. At 28 days post-GMH, brain morphology was assessed and extracellular matrix protein (fibronectin and vitronectin) expression was determined. Acute and delayed deferoxamine treatment improved long-term motor and cognitive function at 21 to 28 days post-GMH. Attenuated neurofunction was paralleled with improved overall brain morphology at 28 days post-GMH, reducing white matter loss, basal ganglia loss, posthemorrhagic ventricular dilation, and cortical loss. GMH resulted in significantly increased expression of fibronectin and vitronectin, which was reversed by acute and delayed deferoxamine treatment. Acute and delayed deferoxamine administration ameliorated long-term sequelae after GMH. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

International Meniscus Reconstruction Experts Forum (IMREF) 2015 Consensus Statement on the Practice of Meniscal Allograft Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Getgood, Alan; LaPrade, Robert F; Verdonk, Peter; Gersoff, Wayne; Cole, Brian; Spalding, Tim

2016-08-25

Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) has become relatively commonplace in specialized sport medicine practice for the treatment of patients with a symptomatic knee after the loss of a functional meniscus. The technique has evolved since the 1980s, and long-term results continue to improve. However, there still remains significant variation in how MAT is performed, and as such, there remains opportunity for outcome and graft survivorship to be optimized. The purpose of this article was to develop a consensus statement on the practice of MAT from key opinion leaders who are members of the International Meniscus Reconstruction Experts Forum so that a more standardized approach to the indications, surgical technique, and postoperative care could be outlined with the goal of ultimately improving patient outcomes. © 2016 The Author(s).

A Comparison of Implants Used in Open-Door Laminoplasty: Structural Rib Allografts Versus Metallic Miniplates.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabaraee, Ehsan; Mummaneni, Praveen; Abdul-Jabbar, Amir; Shearer, David; Roy, Esha; Amin, Beejal; Ames, Christopher; Burch, Shane; Deviren, Vedat; Berven, Sigurd; Hu, Serena; Chou, Dean; Tay, Bobby K

2017-06-01

A retrospective case-controlled study. Open-door laminoplasty has been successfully used to address cervical spondylotic myelopathy and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Two common implants include rib allograft struts and metallic miniplates. The goals of this study were to compare outcomes, complications, and costs associated with these 2 implants. A retrospective review was done on 51 patients with allograft struts and 55 patients with miniplates. Primary outcomes were neck visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores and Nurick scores. Secondary outcomes included length of the procedure, estimated blood loss, rates of complications, and the direct costs associated with the surgery and inpatient hospitalization. There were no differences in demographic characteristics, diagnoses, comorbidities, and preoperative outcome scores between the 2 treatment groups. Mean follow-up was 27 months. The postoperative neck VAS scores and Nurick scores improved significantly from baseline to final follow-up for both groups, but there was no difference between the 2 groups. The average length of operation (161 vs. 136 min) and number of foraminotomies (2.7 vs. 1.3) were higher for the allograft group (P=0.007 and 0.0001, respectively). Among the miniplate group, there was no difference in complications but a trend for less neck pain for patients treated without hard collar at final follow-up (1.8 vs. 2.3, P=0.52). The mean direct costs of hospitalization for the miniplate group were 15% higher. Structural rib allograft struts and metallic miniplates result in similar improvements in pain and functional outcome scores with no difference in the rate of complications in short-term follow-up. Potential benefits of using a plate include shorter procedure length and less need for postoperative immobilization. When costs of bracing and operative time are included, the difference in cost between miniplates and allograft struts is negligible.

Reforming Long-Term Care Funding in Alberta.

Science.gov (United States)

Crump, R Trafford; Repin, Nadya; Sutherland, Jason M

2015-01-01

Like many provinces across Canada, Alberta is facing growing demand for long-term care. Issues with the mixed funding model used to pay long-term care providers had Alberta Health Services concerned that it was not efficiently meeting the demand for long-term care. Consequently, in 2010, Alberta Health Services introduced the patient/care-based funding (PCBF) model. PCBF is similar to activity-based funding in that it directly ties the complexity and care needs of long-term care residents to the payment received by long-term care providers. This review describes PCBF and discusses some of its strengths and weaknesses. In doing so, this review is intended to inform other provinces faced with similar long-term care challenges and contemplating their own funding reforms.

Primary Nonfunction of Renal Allograft Secondary to Acute Oxalate Nephropathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravi Parasuraman

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Primary nonfunction (PNF accounts for 0.6 to 8% of renal allograft failure, and the focus on causes of PNF has changed from rejection to other causes. Calcium oxalate (CaOx deposition is common in early allograft biopsies, and it contributes in moderate intensity to higher incidence of acute tubular necrosis and poor graft survival. A-49-year old male with ESRD secondary to polycystic kidney disease underwent extended criteria donor kidney transplantation. Posttransplant, patient developed delayed graft function (DGF, and the biopsy showed moderately intense CaOx deposition that persisted on subsequent biopsies for 16 weeks, eventually resulting in PNF. The serum oxalate level was 3 times more than normal at 85 μmol/L (normal <27 μmol/L. Allograft nephrectomy showed massive aggregates of CaOx crystal deposition in renal collecting system. In conclusion, acute oxalate nephropathy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of DGF since optimal management could change the outcome of the allograft.

Inhibition of the immune response to experimental fresh osteoarticular allografts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigo, J.J.; Schnaser, A.M.; Reynolds, H.M. Jr.; Biggart, J.M. III; Leathers, M.W.; Chism, S.E.; Thorson, E.; Grotz, T.; Yang, Q.M.

1989-01-01

The immune response to osteoarticular allografts is capable of destroying the cartilage--a tissue that has antigens on its cells identical to those on the bone and marrow cells. Osteoarticular allografts of the distal femur were performed in rats using various methods to attempt to temporarily inhibit the antibody response. The temporary systemic immunosuppressant regimens investigated were cyclophosphamide, azathioprine and prednisolone, cyclosporine A, and total lymphoid irradiation. The most successful appeared to be cyclosporine A, but significant side effects were observed. To specifically inhibit the immune response in the allograft antigens without systemically inhibiting the entire immune system, passive enhancement and preadministration of donor blood were tried. Neither was as effective as coating the donor bone with biodegradable cements, a method previously found to be successful. Cyclosporine A was investigated in dogs in a preliminary study of medial compartmental knee allografts and was found to be successful in inhibiting the antibody response and in producing a more successful graft; however, some significant side effects were similarly observed

Assessment of pathological changes associated with chronic allograft rejection and tolerance in two experimental models of rat lung transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumura, Y; Marchevsky, A; Zuo, X J; Kass, R M; Matloff, J M; Jordan, S C

1995-06-15

Lung transplantation is now routinely performed for a wide range of end-stage cardiopulmonary disorders. Despite overcoming the problems associated with early acute rejection, chronic rejection (CR) in the form of obliterative bronchiolitis has emerged as the primary cause of late graft loss. The mechanisms involved in the development of CR of lung allografts are poorly understood, and no effective therapy is currently available. To better understand the pathological events associated with CR and tolerance, we examined two models of lung allograft rejection established in our laboratory. First, we exchanged left lung allografts between moderately histoincompatible inbred rat strains (WKY-->F344: n = 42 and F344-->WKY: n = 40). The WKY-->F344 model was previously shown to develop spontaneous tolerance, while the converse model (F344-->WKY) showed persistent acute rejection. The purpose of this investigation was to assess histopathological changes associated with long-term grafts left in place up to 140 days after transplant. To confirm that tolerance had developed, skin-grafting experiments were performed. Five skin grafts from each strain were placed on lung allograft recipients on day 35 after transplant and skin allograft survival was assessed and compared with controls. Acute rejection (AR) was graded histologically (stage O-IV) and the pathologic intensity of inflammation and CR were graded (0-4: 0 = 0%, 1 = 1-25%, 2 = 26-50%, 3 = 51-75%, and 4 = 76-100%) on percentage of involvement with the following categories being examined: (a) lymphocytic infiltration (perivascular, peribronchial, and peribronchiolar) and (b) vasculitis, edema, hemorrhage, and necrosis. Finally, chronic rejection was diagnosed by the presence of intimal hyperplasia, interstitial fibrosis, peribronchiolar fibrosis, bronchiolitis obliterans, and bronchiectasis. The WKY-->F344 animals showed progressive AR (stage III, day 21). Thereafter, the AR subsided spontaneously and was stage 0 on day

Cardiac Resynchronization in Different Age Groups: A MADIT-CRT Long-Term Follow-Up Substudy.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Sabu; Moss, Arthur J; Zareba, Wojciech; McNitt, Scott; Barsheshet, Alon; Klein, Helmut; Goldenberg, Ilan; Huang, David T; Biton, Yitschak; Kutyifa, Valentina

2016-02-01

Cardiac resynchronization with defibrillators (CRT-D) reduces heart failure and mortality compared with defibrillators alone. Whether this applies to all ages is unclear. We assessed the association of age on heart failure and death as a post hoc analysis of the MADIT-CRT follow-up study, in which 1,281 patients with class I/II heart failure (HF) were randomized to CRT-D or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators alone. Different age groups (age groups, there were 399, 651, and 231 patients, respectively. We compared events with the use of a multivariate regression model. CRT-D compared with defibrillators alone significantly reduced the composite of HF or death across all age groups: age groups: age group: RRR = 59%. CRT-D reduced HF events and the composite of mortality or HF events during long-term follow-up in all age groups. CRT-D reduced mortality only in the 60-74 year age group. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Industrial Foundations as Long-Term Owners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Steen; Poulsen, Thomas; Børsting, Christa Winther

Short-termism has become a serious concern for corporate governance, and this has inspired a search for institutional arrangements to promote long-term decision-making. In this paper, we call attention to long-term ownership by industrial foundations, which is common in Northern Europe but little...... known in the rest of the world. We use a unique Danish data set to document that industrial foundations are long-term owners that practice long-term governance. We show that foundation ownership is highly stable compared to other ownership structures. Foundation-owned companies replace managers less...... frequently. They have conservative capital structures with low financial leverage. They score higher on an index of long-termism in finance, investment, and employment. They survive longer. Overall, our paper supports the hypothesis that corporate time horizons are influenced by ownership structures...

Long-term associative learning predicts verbal short-term memory performance

OpenAIRE

Jones, Gary; Macken, Bill

2017-01-01

Studies using tests such as digit span and nonword repetition have implicated short-term memory across a range of developmental domains. Such tests ostensibly assess specialized processes for the short-term manipulation and maintenance of information that are often argued to enable long-term learning. However, there is considerable evidence for an influence of long-term linguistic learning on performance in short-term memory tasks that brings into question the role of a specialized short-term...

The role of 17-beta estradiol in ischemic preconditioning protection of the heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Babiker, Fawzi A; Hoteit, Lamia J; Joseph, Shaji; Mustafa, Abu Salim; Juggi, Jasbir S

2012-09-01

The protective effects of 17-beta estradiol (E2) on cardiac tissue during ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury have not yet been fully elucidated. To assess the protective effects of short- and long-term E2 treatments on cardiac tissue exposed to I/R, and to assess the effects of these treatments in combination with ischemic preconditioning (IPC) on cardiac protection from I/R injury. SPRAGUE DAWLEY RATS WERE ASSIGNED TO THE FOLLOWING TREATMENT PROTOCOLS: control (no preconditioning); IPC (isolated hearts were subjected to two cycles of 5 min global ischemia followed by 10 min of reperfusion); E2 preconditioning (E2PC; isolated hearts were subjected to E2 pharmacological perfusion for 15 min); short-term in vivo E2 pretreatment for 3 h; long-term in vivo E2 pretreatment or withdrawal (ovariectomy followed by a six-week treatment with E2 or a placebo); combined IPC and E2PC; combined IPC and short- or long-term E2 pretreatments or withdrawal. All hearts were isolated and stabilized for at least 30 min before being subjected to 40 min of global ischemia followed by 30 min of reperfusion; left ventricular function and vascular hemodynamics were then assessed. IPC, E2PC and short-term E2 pretreatment led to the recovery of left ventricle function and vascular hemodynamics. Long-term E2 and placebo treatments did not result in any protection compared with untreated controls. The combination of E2PC or short-term E2 treatments with IPC did not block the IPC protection or result in any additional protection to the heart. Long-term E2 treatment blocked IPC protection; however, placebo treatment did not. Short-term treatment with E2 protected the heart against I/R injury through a pathway involving the regulation of tumour necrosis factor-alpha. The combination of short-term E2 treatment with IPC did not provide additional protection to the heart. Short-term E2 treatment may be a suitable alternative for classical estrogen replacement therapy.

The Relationship between Ischemic Heart Disease and Diabete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norgaard, Mette Lykke

2012-01-01

THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES ON THE SUBJECT: The relationship between ischemic heart disease and diabetes: 1. To examine the short- and long-term risk of death and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with incident diabetes and in patients with first-time MI during a 10 year period in Denmark, using the general...... diabetes increases with increasing severity of heart failure. Focus on the development of diabetes in patients with ischemic heart disease with or without the presence of heart failure still compose a public health matter, because early and aggressive evidence-based therapy is thought to reduce......Diabetes is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is common among patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), where the prevalence is as high as 20%. Patients with diabetes requiring glucose-lowering medication (GLM) have been reported as having the same long-term risk...

Assessment of Myocardial Infarction by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Long-Term Mortality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petriz, João Luiz Fernandes, E-mail: jlpetriz@cardiol.br [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) / Instituto do Coração Edson Saad - Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina (Cardiologia), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Hospital Barra D’Or, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Instituto D’Or de Pesquisa e Ensino, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Gomes, Bruno Ferraz de Oliveira; Rua, Braulio Santos [Hospital Barra D’Or, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Azevedo, Clério Francisco [Instituto D’Or de Pesquisa e Ensino, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Hadlich, Marcelo Souza [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) / Instituto do Coração Edson Saad - Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina (Cardiologia), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Instituto D’Or de Pesquisa e Ensino, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Mussi, Henrique Thadeu Periard [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) / Instituto do Coração Edson Saad - Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina (Cardiologia), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Hospital Barra D’Or, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Taets, Gunnar de Cunto [Instituto D’Or de Pesquisa e Ensino, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Nascimento, Emília Matos do; Pereira, Basílio de Bragança; Silva, Nelson Albuquerque de Souza e [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) / Instituto do Coração Edson Saad - Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina (Cardiologia), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2015-02-15

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging provides detailed anatomical information on infarction. However, few studies have investigated the association of these data with mortality after acute myocardial infarction. To study the association between data regarding infarct size and anatomy, as obtained from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging after acute myocardial infarction, and long-term mortality. A total of 1959 reports of “infarct size” were identified in 7119 cardiac magnetic resonance imaging studies, of which 420 had clinical and laboratory confirmation of previous myocardial infarction. The variables studied were the classic risk factors – left ventricular ejection fraction, categorized ventricular function, and location of acute myocardial infarction. Infarct size and acute myocardial infarction extent and transmurality were analyzed alone and together, using the variable named “MET-AMI”. The statistical analysis was carried out using the elastic net regularization, with the Cox model and survival trees. The mean age was 62.3 ± 12 years, and 77.3% were males. During the mean follow-up of 6.4 ± 2.9 years, there were 76 deaths (18.1%). Serum creatinine, diabetes mellitus and previous myocardial infarction were independently associated with mortality. Age was the main explanatory factor. The cardiac magnetic resonance imaging variables independently associated with mortality were transmurality of acute myocardial infarction (p = 0.047), ventricular dysfunction (p = 0.0005) and infarcted size (p = 0.0005); the latter was the main explanatory variable for ischemic heart disease death. The MET-AMI variable was the most strongly associated with risk of ischemic heart disease death (HR: 16.04; 95%CI: 2.64-97.5; p = 0.003). The anatomical data of infarction, obtained from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging after acute myocardial infarction, were independently associated with long-term mortality, especially for ischemic heart disease death.

Allograft pretreatment for the repair of sciatic nerve defects: green tea polyphenols versus radiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheng-hu Zhou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Pretreatment of nerve allografts by exposure to irradiation or green tea polyphenols can eliminate neuroimmunogenicity, inhibit early immunological rejection, encourage nerve regeneration and functional recovery, improve tissue preservation, and minimize postoperative infection. In the present study, we investigate which intervention achieves better results. We produced a 1.0 cm sciatic nerve defect in rats, and divided the rats into four treatment groups: autograft, fresh nerve allograft, green tea polyphenol-pretreated (1 mg/mL, 4°C nerve allograft, and irradiation-pretreated nerve allograft (26.39 Gy/min for 12 hours; total 19 kGy. The animals were observed, and sciatic nerve electrophysiology, histology, and transmission electron microscopy were carried out at 6 and 12 weeks after grafting. The circumference and structure of the transplanted nerve in rats that received autografts or green tea polyphenol-pretreated nerve allografts were similar to those of the host sciatic nerve. Compared with the groups that received fresh or irradiation-pretreated nerve allografts, motor nerve conduction velocity in the autograft and fresh nerve allograft groups was greater, more neurites grew into the allografts, Schwann cell proliferation was evident, and a large number of new blood vessels was observed; in addition, massive myelinated nerve fibers formed, and abundant microfilaments and microtubules were present in the axoplasm. Our findings indicate that nerve allografts pretreated by green tea polyphenols are equivalent to transplanting autologous nerves in the repair of sciatic nerve defects, and promote nerve regeneration. Pretreatment using green tea polyphenols is better than pretreatment with irradiation

Tuberculosis in a renal allograft recipient presenting with intussusception.

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Mohapatra, A; Basu, G; Sen, I; Asirvatham, R; Michael, J S; Pulimood, A B; John, G T

2012-01-01

Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is more common in renal allograft recipients and may present with dissemination or an atypical features. We report a renal allograft recipient with intestinal TB presenting 3 years after transplantation with persistent fever, weight loss, diarrhea, abdominal pain and mass in the abdomen with intestinal obstruction. He was diagnosed to be having an ileocolic intussusception which on resection showed a granulomatous inflammation with presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) typical of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In addition, AFB was detected in the tracheal aspirate, indicating dissemination. He received anti-TB therapy (ATT) from the fourth postoperative day. However, he developed a probable immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) with multiorgan failure and died on 11(th) postoperative day. This is the first report of intestinal TB presenting as intussusception in a renal allograft recipient. The development of IRIS after starting ATT is rare in renal allograft recipients. This report highlights the need for a high index of suspicion for diagnosing TB early among renal transplant recipients and the therapeutic dilemma with overwhelming infection and development of IRIS upon reduction of immunosuppression and starting ATT.

Long-term follow up after transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale in adults

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Jure Dolenc

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of our study was to define long-term electrocardiographic and echocardiographic changes and complications after transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale in adults.Methods: The clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic follow-up of 137 consecutive patients that underwent transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (51 patients or patent foramen ovale (86 patients in a 10-year period was analyzed retrospectively.Results: In the patent foramen ovale group, we observed no significant postprocedural changes. There were no changes in heart rate, heart rhythm and PR or QRS duration in both groups. In the atrial septal defect group, we observed a leftward shift in the heart axis (p = 0.017, a decrease in the estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (p = 0.024, decreased tricuspid early diastolic flow velocity (p = 0.002, a decrease in the right chamber dimensions (p = 0.0004 and interventricular septal movement normalization (p < 0.0001. Most of the complications were mild and occurred early after the procedure. Three early serious complications were documented.Conclusions: No electrocardiographic or echocardiographic changes occurred after patent foramen ovale closure. Atrial septal defect closure is related to significant early morphological and hemodynamic improvement. Postprocedural complications are usually early and mild but serious late complications can occur. For that reason, long-term follow up is recommended in these patients.

Mucormycosis (zygomycosis) of renal allograft

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Gupta, Krishan L.; Joshi, Kusum; Kohli, Harbir S.; Jha, Vivekanand; Sakhuja, Vinay

2012-01-01

Fungal infection is relatively common among renal transplant recipients from developing countries. Mucormycosis, also known as zygomycosis, is one of the most serious fungal infections in these patients. The most common of presentation is rhino-cerebral. Isolated involvement of a renal allograft is very rare. A thorough search of literature and our medical records yielded a total of 24 cases with mucormycosis of the transplanted kidney. There was an association with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and anti-rejection treatment in these patients and most of these transplants were performed in the developing countries from unrelated donors. The outcome was very poor with an early mortality in 13 (54.5%) patients. Renal allograft mucormycosis is a relatively rare and potentially fatal complication following renal transplantation. Early diagnosis, graft nephrectomy and appropriate antifungal therapy may result in an improved prognosis for these patients. PMID:26069793

Polyglutamate directed coupling of bioactive peptides for the delivery of osteoinductive signals on allograft bone

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Culpepper, Bonnie K.; Bonvallet, Paul P.; Reddy, Michael S.; Ponnazhagan, Selvarangan; Bellis, Susan L.

2012-01-01

Allograft bone is commonly used as an alternative to autograft, however allograft lacks many osteoinductive factors present in autologous bone due to processing. In this study, we investigated a method to reconstitute allograft with osteoregenerative factors. Specifically, an osteoinductive peptide from collagen I, DGEA, was engineered to express a heptaglutamate (E7) domain, which binds the hydroxyapatite within bone mineral. Addition of E7 to DGEA resulted in 9× greater peptide loading on allograft, and significantly greater retention after a 5-day interval with extensive washing. When factoring together greater initial loading and retention, the E7 domain directed a 45-fold enhancement of peptide density on the allograft surface. Peptide-coated allograft was also implanted subcutaneously into rats and it was found that E7DGEA was retained in vivo for at least 3 months. Interestingly, E7DGEA peptides injected intravenously accumulated within bone tissue, implicating a potential role for E7 domains in drug delivery to bone. Finally, we determined that, as with DGEA, the E7 modification enhanced coupling of a bioactive BMP2-derived peptide on allograft. These results suggest that E7 domains are useful for coupling many types of bone-regenerative molecules to the surface of allograft to reintroduce osteoinductive signals and potentially advance allograft treatments. PMID:23182349

Metabolomic Profiling in Individuals with a Failing Kidney Allograft.

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Roberto Bassi

Full Text Available Alteration of certain metabolites may play a role in the pathophysiology of renal allograft disease.To explore metabolomic abnormalities in individuals with a failing kidney allograft, we analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS; for ex vivo profiling of serum and urine and two dimensional correlated spectroscopy (2D COSY; for in vivo study of the kidney graft 40 subjects with varying degrees of chronic allograft dysfunction stratified by tertiles of glomerular filtration rate (GFR; T1, T2, T3. Ten healthy non-allograft individuals were chosen as controls.LC-MS/MS analysis revealed a dose-response association between GFR and serum concentration of tryptophan, glutamine, dimethylarginine isomers (asymmetric [A]DMA and symmetric [S]DMA and short-chain acylcarnitines (C4 and C12, (test for trend: T1-T3 = p<0.05; p = 0.01; p<0.001; p = 0.01; p = 0.01; p<0.05, respectively. The same association was found between GFR and urinary levels of histidine, DOPA, dopamine, carnosine, SDMA and ADMA (test for trend: T1-T3 = p<0.05; p<0.01; p = 0.001; p<0.05; p = 0.001; p<0.001; p<0.01, respectively. In vivo 2D COSY of the kidney allograft revealed significant reduction in the parenchymal content of choline, creatine, taurine and threonine (all: p<0.05 in individuals with lower GFR levels.We report an association between renal function and altered metabolomic profile in renal transplant individuals with different degrees of kidney graft function.

De Novo Collapsing Glomerulopathy in a Renal Allograft Recipient

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Kanodia K

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Collapsing glomerulopathy (CG, characterized histologically by segmental/global glomerular capillary collapse, podocyte hypertrophy and hypercellularity and tubulo-interstitial injury; is characterized clinically by massive proteinuria and rapid progressive renal failure. CG is known to recur in renal allograft and rarely de novo. We report de novo CG 3 years post-transplant in a patient who received renal allograft from haplo-identical type donor.

Urinary calprotectin and posttransplant renal allograft injury

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tepel, Martin; Borst, Christoffer; Bistrup, Claus

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Current methods do not predict the acute renal allograft injury immediately after kidney transplantation. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of urinary calprotectin for predicting immediate posttransplant allograft injury. METHODS: In a multicenter, prospective-cohort study of 144...... incipient renal transplant recipients, we postoperatively measured urinary calprotectin using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after 4 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. RESULTS: We observed a significant inverse association of urinary calprotectin...... concentrations and eGFR 4 weeks after transplantation (Spearman r = -0.33; Prelative risk, 4.3; P

Functional evaluation of patients treated with osteochondral allograft transplantation for post-traumatic ankle arthritis: one year follow-up.

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Berti, L; Vannini, F; Lullini, G; Caravaggi, P; Leardini, A; Giannini, S

2013-09-01

Severe post-traumatic ankle arthritis poses a reconstructive challenge in active patients. Whereas traditional surgical treatments, i.e. arthrodesis and arthroplasty, provide good pain relief, arthrodesis is associated to functional and psychological limitations, and arthroplasty is prone to failure in the active patient. More recently the use of bipolar fresh osteochondral allografts transplantation has been proposed as a promising alternative to the traditional treatments. Preliminary short- and long-term clinical outcomes for this procedure have been reported, but no functional evaluations have been performed to date. The clinical and functional outcomes of a series of 10 patients who underwent allograft transplantation at a mean follow-up of 14 months are reported. Clinical evaluation was performed with the AOFAS score, functional assessment by state-of-the-art gait analysis. The clinical score significantly improved from a median of 54 (range 12-65) pre-op to 76.5 (range 61-86) post-op (p=0.002). No significant changes were observed for the spatial-temporal parameters, but motion at the hip and knee joints during early stance, and the range of motion of the ankle joint in the frontal plane (control: 13.8°±2.9°; pre-op: 10.4°±3.1°, post-op: 12.9°±4.2°; p=0.02) showed significant improvements. EMG signals revealed a good recovery in activation of the biceps femoris. This study showed that osteochondral allograft transplantation improves gait patterns. Although re-evaluation at longer follow-ups is required, this technique may represent the right choice for patients who want to delay the need for more invasive joint reconstruction procedures. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Long Term Follow-up Shows Benefit with Risk Factor Reduction

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Koroush Khalighi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Only sparse data was available on long-term of Takotusbo Cardiomyopathy (TC. Previous studies suggested prognosis is not necessarily benign. We report the long-term follow-up of 12 TC patients actively managed with risk factor reduction. Retrospective analysis of all patients diagnosed with TC at our hospital between 1998 and 2010. We identified 12 patients with TC among 1651 cases of emergent left heart catheterization over 12 years. Mean follow-up time was 8.3 ± 3.6 years. All were female, 87% had hypertension, 25% had history of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD, 67% had hyperlipidemia, 44% had some preceding emotional trauma, and 44% had some physical/physiological stress. Previous studies have shown that over 50% of TC patients experience future cardiac events, and 10% have a recurrence of TC. Patients were prescribed therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC and guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT for aggressive risk factor reduction. TLC included diet, exercise, and cardiac rehabilitation. GDMT often included aspirin, beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors, and statins. Follow-up echocardiograms showed recovery and maintenance of the ejection fraction. There was no cardiac mortality and no recurrences of TC. Aggressive risk factor reduction with TLC and GDMT may be effective in improving the long term outcomes of patients with TC.

Long-term modulation of the intrinsic cardiac nervous system by spinal cord neurons in normal and ischaemic hearts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Armour, JA; Linderoth, B; Arora, RC; DeJongste, MJL; Ardell, JL; Kingma, JG; Hill, M; Foreman, RD

2002-01-01

Electrical excitation of the dorsal aspect of the rostral thoracic spinal cord imparts long-term therapeutic benefits to patients with angina pectoris. Such spinal cord stimulation also induces short-term suppressor effects on the intrinsic cardiac nervous system. The purpose of this study was to

Honey preserved cortical allografts in the repair of diaphyseal femoral defect in dogs: clinical and radiographic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alievi, Marcelo Meller; Wallau Schossler, João Eduardo; Christo de Oliveira, Ana Néri; Almeida Ferreira, Carolina Kist TraeslelIV Patrícia; Dambrósio Guimarães, Luciana

2007-01-01

Fourteen adult mongrel dogs were used to evaluate the honey preserved cortical allografts in the repair of diaphyseal femoral defect. The allografts were inserted into a 5cm segmental defect created in the mid-diaphysis of the right femur in each dog. The bones were stabilized with a dynamic compression plate and eight bone screws. Healing was followed clinically and femora were evaluated radiographically, periodically. Nineteen (79.2%) of the twenty-four host-graft interfaces were radiographically incorporated. Average time to allograft incorporation was 67.1 days (range 45 days to 90 days). There was no statistical difference in the allograft incorporation time between proximal and distal host-graft interfaces. Complications observed were nonunion, allograft fracture, and allograft resorption. The conclusion is that despite the complications, honey preserved cortical allografts are a viable option to bone reconstruction [pt

Long-term collections

CERN Multimedia

Collectes à long terme

2007-01-01

The Committee of the Long Term Collections (CLT) asks for your attention for the following message from a young Peruvian scientist, following the earthquake which devastated part of her country a month ago.

Tricuspid valve regurgitation after heart transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Murray H; Shemin, Richard J

2017-05-01

Tricuspid valve regurgitation (TVR) in the orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) recipient is quite common and has varied clinical sequelae. In its severest forms, it can lead to right-sided failure symptoms indistinguishable from that seen in native heart TVR disease. While certain implantation techniques are widely recognized to reduce the risk of TVR in the cardiac allograft, concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty, while having advocates, is not currently accepted as a routinely established adjunct. Decisions to surgically correct TVR in the OHT recipient must be made carefully, as certain clinical scenarios have high risk of failure. Like in the native heart, anatomic etiologies typically have the greatest chances for success compared to functional etiologies. While repair options have been utilized, there is emerging data to support replacement as the more durable option. While mechanical prostheses are impractical in the heart transplant recipient, biologic valves offer the advantage of continued access to the right ventricle for biopsies in addition to acceptable durability in the low pressure system of the right side.

Drosophila Neprilysins Are Involved in Middle-Term and Long-Term Memory.

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Turrel, Oriane; Lampin-Saint-Amaux, Aurélie; Préat, Thomas; Goguel, Valérie

2016-09-14

Neprilysins are type II metalloproteinases known to degrade and inactivate a number of small peptides. Neprilysins in particular are the major amyloid-β peptide-degrading enzymes. In mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, neprilysin overexpression improves learning and memory deficits, whereas neprilysin deficiency aggravates the behavioral phenotypes. However, whether these enzymes are involved in memory in nonpathological conditions is an open question. Drosophila melanogaster is a well suited model system with which to address this issue. Several memory phases have been characterized in this organism and the neuronal circuits involved are well described. The fly genome contains five neprilysin-encoding genes, four of which are expressed in the adult. Using conditional RNA interference, we show here that all four neprilysins are involved in middle-term and long-term memory. Strikingly, all four are required in a single pair of neurons, the dorsal paired medial (DPM) neurons that broadly innervate the mushroom bodies (MBs), the center of olfactory memory. Neprilysins are also required in the MB, reflecting the functional relationship between the DPM neurons and the MB, a circuit believed to stabilize memories. Together, our data establish a role for neprilysins in two specific memory phases and further show that DPM neurons play a critical role in the proper targeting of neuropeptides involved in these processes. Neprilysins are endopeptidases known to degrade a number of small peptides. Neprilysin research has essentially focused on their role in Alzheimer's disease and heart failure. Here, we use Drosophila melanogaster to study whether neprilysins are involved in memory. Drosophila can form several types of olfactory memory and the neuronal structures involved are well described. Four neprilysin genes are expressed in adult Drosophila Using conditional RNA interference, we show that all four are specifically involved in middle-term memory (MTM) and long-term

Active inhibitor-1 maintains protein hyper-phosphorylation in aging hearts and halts remodeling in failing hearts.

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Pritchard, Tracy J; Kawase, Yoshiaki; Haghighi, Kobra; Anjak, Ahmad; Cai, Wenfeng; Jiang, Min; Nicolaou, Persoulla; Pylar, George; Karakikes, Ioannis; Rapti, Kleopatra; Rubinstein, Jack; Hajjar, Roger J; Kranias, Evangelia G

2013-01-01

Impaired sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium cycling and depressed contractility are key characteristics in heart failure. Defects in sarcoplasmic reticulum function are characterized by decreased SERCA2a Ca-transport that is partially attributable to dephosphorylation of its regulator phospholamban by increased protein phosphatase 1 activity. Inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 through activation of its endogenous inhibitor-1 has been shown to enhance cardiac Ca-handling and contractility as well as protect from pathological stress remodeling in young mice. In this study, we assessed the long-term effects of inducible expression of constitutively active inhibitor-1 in the adult heart and followed function and remodeling through the aging process, up to 20 months. Mice with inhibitor-1 had normal survival and similar function to WTs. There was no overt remodeling as evidenced by measures of left ventricular end-systolic and diastolic diameters and posterior wall dimensions, heart weight to tibia length ratio, and histology. Higher phosphorylation of phospholamban at both Ser16 and Thr17 was maintained in aged hearts with active inhibitor-1, potentially offsetting the effects of elevated Ser2815-phosphorylation in ryanodine receptor, as there were no increases in arrhythmias under stress conditions in 20-month old mice. Furthermore, long-term expression of active inhibitor-1 via recombinant adeno-associated virus type 9 gene transfer in rats with pressure-overload induced heart failure improved function and prevented remodeling, associated with increased phosphorylation of phospholamban at Ser16 and Thr17. Thus, chronic inhibition of protein phosphatase 1, through increases in active inhibitor-1, does not accelerate age-related cardiomyopathy and gene transfer of this molecule in vivo improves function and halts remodeling in the long term.

Pancreatic islet allograft in spleen with immunosuppression with cyclosporine. Experimental model in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Waisberg, Jaques; Neff, Charles Benjamin; Waisberg, Daniel Reis; Germini, Demetrius; Gonçalves, José Eduardo; Zanotto, Arnaldo; Speranzini, Manlio Basilio

2011-01-01

To study the functional behavior of the allograft with immunosuppression of pancreatic islets in the spleen. Five groups of 10 Mongrel dogs were used: Group A (control) underwent biochemical tests; Group B underwent total pancreatectomy; Group C underwent total pancreatectomy and pancreatic islet autotransplant in the spleen; Group D underwent pancreatic islet allograft in the spleen without immunosuppressive therapy; Group E underwent pancreatic islet allograft in the spleen and immunosuppression with cyclosporine. All of the animals with grafts received pancreatic islets prepared by the mechanical-enzymatic method - stationary collagenase digestion and purification with dextran discontinuous density gradient, implanted in the spleen. The animals with autotransplant and those with allografts with immunosuppression that became normoglycemic showed altered results of intravenous tolerance glucose (p < 0.001) and peripheral and splenic vein plasmatic insulin levels were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in animals that had allografts with immunosuppression than in those with just autotransplants. In the animals with immunosuppression with cyclosporine subjected to allograft of pancreatic islets prepared with the mechanical-enzymatic preparation method (stationary collagenase digestion and purification with dextran discontinuous density gradient), the production of insulin is decreased and the response to intravenous glucose is altered.

Mandibular reconstruction using bone allografts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang Joon Yim

1999-01-01

Further understanding of bone healing mechanisms, bone physiology and bone biology, transplantation immunology, and development of Tissue Banking procedures has enabled oral and maxillofacial surgeons to reconstruct even the most difficult bony defects successfully with the preserved allogeneic bone implant. Although it had been known that bone allografts were clinically effective, its application has not been widespread until the reports of Inclan (I 942), Hyatt and Butler (I 950), and Wilson (I 95 1). Tissue Banking provides the surgeon with a readily available, relatively inexpensive, and relatively safe selection of allogeneic bone for clinical use. Now autogenous bone and allogeneic bone implants present a wide variety of surgical options to surgeons, whether used separately or in combination. The surgeons are able to make judicious and fruitful choices, only with a thorough knowledge of the above-mentioned biological principles and skillful techniques. Many kinds of bone grafting techniques have been tried for reconstructing defective osseous tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region, though they have varying degrees of success. The osseous defects which require grafting include those of various size, shape, position, or amount. Unlike autogenous grafts, whose function is to provide osteogenic cells, allografts are purely passive, offering only a matrix for the inductive phase of bone healing. The condition of the recipient bed is of primary importance, because the host must produce all of the essential elements for the bone allograft to become incorporated. Depending on the processing methods of the allogeneic bone, the bone graft materials have different qualities, different healing potentials and different indications. Proper selection of grafts and surgical techniques requires an understanding of graft immunology and the mechanisms of graft healing. The surgeons should know about the biological principles to raise the clinical success rate

Design and rationale of the HITTS randomized controlled trial: Effect of High-intensity Interval Training in de novo Heart Transplant Recipients in Scandinavia.

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Nytrøen, Kari; Yardley, Marianne; Rolid, Katrine; Bjørkelund, Elisabeth; Karason, Kristjan; Wigh, Julia Philip; Dall, Christian Have; Arora, Satish; Aakhus, Svend; Lunde, Ketil; Solberg, Ole Geir; Gustafsson, Finn; Prescott, Eva Irene Bossano; Gullestad, Lars

2016-02-01

There is no consensus on how, when, and at what intensity exercise should be performed and organized after heart transplantation (HTx). Most rehabilitation programs are conducted in HTx centers, which might be impractical and costly. We have recently shown that high-intensity interval training (HIT) is safe, well tolerated, and efficacious in maintenance HTx recipients, but there are no studies among de novo patients, and whether HIT is feasible and superior to moderate training in HTx recipients is unclear. A total of 120 clinically stable HTx recipients older than 18 years will be recruited from 3 Scandinavian HTx centers. Participants are randomized to HIT or moderate training, shortly after surgery. All exercises are supervised in the patients' local communities. Testing at baseline and follow-up includes the following: VO2peak (primary end point), muscle strength, body composition, quality of life, myocardial performance, endothelial function, biomarkers, and progression of cardiac allograft vasculopathy. A subgroup (n = 90) will also be tested at 3-year follow-up to assess long-term effects of exercise. So far, the HIT intervention is well tolerated, without any serious adverse events. We aim to test whether decentralized HIT is feasible, safe, and superior to moderate training, and whether it will lead to significant improvement in exercise capacity and less long-term complications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Compensation for PKMζ in long-term potentiation and spatial long-term memory in mutant mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsokas, Panayiotis; Hsieh, Changchi; Yao, Yudong; Lesburguères, Edith; Wallace, Emma Jane Claire; Tcherepanov, Andrew; Jothianandan, Desingarao; Hartley, Benjamin Rush; Pan, Ling; Rivard, Bruno; Farese, Robert V; Sajan, Mini P; Bergold, Peter John; Hernández, Alejandro Iván; Cottrell, James E; Shouval, Harel Z; Fenton, André Antonio; Sacktor, Todd Charlton

2016-05-17

PKMζ is a persistently active PKC isoform proposed to maintain late-LTP and long-term memory. But late-LTP and memory are maintained without PKMζ in PKMζ-null mice. Two hypotheses can account for these findings. First, PKMζ is unimportant for LTP or memory. Second, PKMζ is essential for late-LTP and long-term memory in wild-type mice, and PKMζ-null mice recruit compensatory mechanisms. We find that whereas PKMζ persistently increases in LTP maintenance in wild-type mice, PKCι/λ, a gene-product closely related to PKMζ, persistently increases in LTP maintenance in PKMζ-null mice. Using a pharmacogenetic approach, we find PKMζ-antisense in hippocampus blocks late-LTP and spatial long-term memory in wild-type mice, but not in PKMζ-null mice without the target mRNA. Conversely, a PKCι/λ-antagonist disrupts late-LTP and spatial memory in PKMζ-null mice but not in wild-type mice. Thus, whereas PKMζ is essential for wild-type LTP and long-term memory, persistent PKCι/λ activation compensates for PKMζ loss in PKMζ-null mice.

Ten-year results of the Freedom Solo stentless heart valve: excellent haemodynamics but progressive valve dysfunction in the long term.

Science.gov (United States)

Sponga, Sandro; Barbera, Mila Della; Pavoni, Daisy; Lechiancole, Andrea; Mazzaro, Enzo; Valente, Marialuisa; Nucifora, Gaetano; Thiene, Gaetano; Livi, Ugolino

2017-05-01

Freedom Solo (FS) is a pericardial stentless heart valve showing excellent haemodynamic performance at mid-term. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term performance of such bioprostheses. Between December 2004 and November 2009, 109 patients (31 men; mean age 76 ± 6 years) underwent aortic valve replacement with FS. Preoperatively, the mean NYHA class was 2.5 ± 0.7, the mean EuroSCORE II, 2.8 ± 2.5. Mean prosthesis size was 22.7 ± 1.9 mm; concomitant procedures were performed in 65 patients. Structural valve deterioration (SVD) was diagnosed according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definition. Two patients (1.8%) died within 30 days. Follow-up (72 ± 36 months) was 100% completed. The 1-, 5- and 10-year actuarial survival rates were 89, 73 and 42%, respectively, with 8 valve-related deaths; the actuarial freedom from SVD was 99, 93 and 76%. During 61 ± 39 months of follow-up, echocardiographic findings worsened progressively: At discharge, 3-5 and 7-9 years, the mean gradient was 8 ± 4, 12 ± 11 and 19 ± 19 mmHg ( P  < 0.01); the indexed effective orifice area was 1.0 ± 0.2, 0.9 ± 0.2 and 0.8 ± 0.3 cm 2 /m 2 ( P  < 0.01). Of the 13 patients who developed SVD, it was due to aortic stenosis in 11. SVD was a predictor of cardiovascular mortality at univariate analysis (HR 2.87, 1.12-7.29); 2 explanted prostheses showed massive calcium deposits with mean calcium and phosphorus contents of 234 ± 16 and 116 ± 7 mg/g dry weight, respectively. The FS bioprosthesis shows excellent mid-term clinical and haemodynamic results and offers an alternative to other valves, particularly in the case of a small aortic annulus. Worsening of FS performance was observed at late follow-up because of progressive SVD with stenosis, questioning whether it should be used in patients with a long life expectancy. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the

Soluble CD30 correlates with clinical but not subclinical renal allograft rejection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirt-Minkowski, Patricia; Roth, Michèle; Hönger, Gideon; Amico, Patrizia; Hopfer, Helmut; Schaub, Stefan

2013-01-01

Soluble CD30 (sCD30) has been proposed as a promising noninvasive biomarker for clinical renal allograft rejection, but its diagnostic characteristics regarding detection of subclinical rejection have not been assessed. We investigated sCD30 in 146 consecutive kidney allograft recipients under tacrolimus-mycophenolate-based immunosuppression having 250 surveillance biopsies at 3 and 6 months as well as 52 indication biopsies within the first year post-transplant. Allograft histology results were classified as (i) acute Banff score zero or interstitial infiltrates only, (ii) tubulitis t1, (iii) tubulitis t2-3 and (iv) isolated vascular compartment inflammation. sCD30 correlated well with the extent of clinical (P sCD30, histological groups were assigned to two categories: no relevant inflammation (i.e. acute Banff score zero and interstitial infiltrates only) versus all other pathologies (tubulitis t1-3 and isolated vascular compartment inflammation). For clinical allograft inflammation, AUC was 0.87 (sensitivity 89%, specificity 79%; P = 0.0006); however, for subclinical inflammation, AUC was only 0.59 (sensitivity 50%, specificity 69%; P = 0.47). In conclusion, sCD30 correlated with clinical, but not subclinical renal allograft rejection limiting its clinical utility as a noninvasive rejection screening biomarker in patients with stable allograft function receiving tacrolimus-mycophenolate-based immunosuppression. © 2012 The Authors Transplant International © 2012 European Society for Organ Transplantation.

Renal allograft rupture: US diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maklad, N.F.

1987-01-01

The US appearances in seven pathologically and/or surgically proved cases of renal allograft rupture are presented. These include a triangular or amorphous echogenic area in the cortex and medulla in a polar location, an echogenic band or wavy, branching anechoic lines in the hyperechoic region, a subcapsular hematoma, and an extrarenal hematoma in direct continuity with the echogenic area. Duplex Doppler examination in renal allograft rupture shows marked reduction of absence of the diastolic component of the velocity waveform in the arcuate and interlobar arteries, with reduction in amplitude of the systolic wave form. Correlation of the US appearances with gross and microscopic pathologic findings indicates that the echogenic area is due to an intrarenal hematoma, while the echogenic band represents the cortical laceration with adherent blood clots. The US-duplex Doppler examination should be the primary diagnostic modality in this life-threatening condition

Characterization of Skin Allograft Use in Thermal Injury

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

of burn surgery. New York: Marcel Dekker; 2004. 6. Burd A, Lam PK, Lau H. Allogenic skin: transplant or dressing? Burns 2002;28:358–66. 7...with CPA, and the feet (1.4%) and groin (0.5%) together have CPA placed at ɚ% of all engraftments (Figure 5). When propensity matched for TBSA ( N = 72...nonallografted and allografted patients propensity matched on TBSA Variable No. Nonallograft N Allograft P TBSA 36 34.83 ± 18.74 (0.5–90) 36 35.14

Long-term administration of the TNF blocking drug Remicade (cV1q) to mdx mice reduces skeletal and cardiac muscle fibrosis, but negatively impacts cardiac function

Science.gov (United States)

Ermolova, N.E.; Martinez, L.; Vetrone, S.A.; Jordan, M. C.; Roos, K. .P.; Sweeney, H.L.; Spencer, M.J.

2014-01-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a degenerative skeletal muscle disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding dystrophin (DYS). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of DMD since short-term treatment of mdx mice with TNF blocking drugs proved beneficial; however, it is not clear whether long-term treatment will also improve long-term outcomes of fibrosis and cardiac health. In this investigation, short and long-term dosing studies were carried out using the TNF blocking drug Remicade and a variety of outcome measures were assessed. Here we show no demonstrable benefit to muscle strength or morphology with 10mg/kg or 20 mg/kg Remicade; however, 3mg/kg produced positive strength benefits. Remicade treatment correlated with reductions in myostatin mRNA in the heart, and concomitant reductions in cardiac and skeletal fibrosis. Surprisingly, although Remicade treated mdx hearts were less fibrotic, reductions in LV mass and ejection fraction were also observed, and these changes coincided with reductions in AKT phosphorylation on threonine 308. Thus, TNF blockade benefits mdx skeletal muscle strength and fibrosis, but negatively impacts AKT activation, leading to deleterious changes to dystrophic heart function. These studies uncover a previously unknown relationship between TNF blockade and alteration of muscle growth signaling pathways. PMID:24844454

Assessment of early renal allograft dysfunction with blood oxygenation level-dependent MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sung Yoon [Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Chan Kyo, E-mail: chankyokim@skku.edu [Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Byung Kwan [Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sung Ju; Lee, Sanghoon [Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Huh, Wooseong [Department of Nephrology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-12-15

Highlights: • R2* and ADC in renal allografts are moderately correlated with eGFR. • R2* and ADC are lower in early allograft dysfunction than normal allograft function. • No significant difference between AR and ATN was found in both R2* and ADC. - Abstract: Purpose: To investigate blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at 3 T for assessment of early renal allograft dysfunction. Materials and methods: 34 patients with a renal allograft (early dysfunction, 24; normal, 10) were prospectively enrolled. BOLD MRI and DWI were performed at 3 T. R2* and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured in cortex and medulla of the allografts. Correlation between R2* or ADC values and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was investigated. R2* or ADC values were compared among acute rejection (AR), acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and normal function. Results: In all renal allografts, cortical or medullary R2* and ADC values were moderately correlated with eGFR (P < 0.05). Early dysfunction group showed lower R2* and ADC values than normal function group (P < 0.05). AR or ATN had lower R2* values than normal allografts (P < 0.05), and ARs had lower cortical ADC values than normal allografts (P < 0.05). No significant difference of R2* or ADC values was found between AR and ATN (P > 0.05). Conclusion: BOLD MRI and DWI at 3 T may demonstrate early functional state of renal allografts, but may be limited in characterizing a cause of early renal allograft dysfunction. Further studies are needed.

Sexuality and Physical Intimacy in Long Term Care: Sexuality, long term care, capacity assessment

OpenAIRE

Lichtenberg, Peter A.

2014-01-01

Sexuality and sexual needs in older adults remains a neglected area of clinical intervention, particularly so in long term care settings. Because older adults in medical rehabilitation and long term care beds present with significant frailties, and often significant neurocognitive disorders it makes it difficult for occupational therapists and other staff to evaluate the capacity of an older adult resident to participate in sexual relationships. The current paper reviews the current literatur...

Utility of an allograft tendon for scoliosis correction via the costo-transverse foreman.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Dong; McCarthy, Michael; Dooley, Adam C; Ramakrishnaiah, Raghu H; Shelton, R Shane; McLaren, Sandra G; Skinner, Robert A; Suva, Larry J; McCarthy, Richard E

2017-01-01

Current convex tethering techniques for treatment of scoliosis have centered on anterior convex staples or polypropylene tethers. We hypothesized that an allograft tendon tether inserted via the costo-transverse foramen would correct an established spinal deformity. In the pilot study, six 8-week-old pigs underwent allograft tendon tethering via the costo-transverse foreman or sham to test the strength of the transplanted tendon to retard spine growth. After 4 months, spinal deformity in three planes was induced in all animals with allograft tendons. In the treatment study, the allograft tendon tether was used to treat established scoliosis in 11 8-week-old pigs (spinal deformity > 50°). Once the deformity was observed (4 months) animals were assigned to either no treatment group or allograft tendon tether group and progression assessed by monthly radiographs. At final follow-up, coronal Cobb angle and maximum vertebral axial rotation of the treatment group was significantly smaller than the non-treatment group, whereas sagittal kyphosis of the treatment group was significantly larger than the non-treatment group. In sum, a significant correction was achieved using a unilateral allograft tendon spinal tether, suggesting that an allograft tendon tethering approach may represent a novel fusion-less procedure to correct idiopathic scoliosis. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:183-192, 2017. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cell-Free DNA and Active Rejection in Kidney Allografts.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloom, Roy D; Bromberg, Jonathan S; Poggio, Emilio D; Bunnapradist, Suphamai; Langone, Anthony J; Sood, Puneet; Matas, Arthur J; Mehta, Shikha; Mannon, Roslyn B; Sharfuddin, Asif; Fischbach, Bernard; Narayanan, Mohanram; Jordan, Stanley C; Cohen, David; Weir, Matthew R; Hiller, David; Prasad, Preethi; Woodward, Robert N; Grskovic, Marica; Sninsky, John J; Yee, James P; Brennan, Daniel C

2017-07-01

Histologic analysis of the allograft biopsy specimen is the standard method used to differentiate rejection from other injury in kidney transplants. Donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) is a noninvasive test of allograft injury that may enable more frequent, quantitative, and safer assessment of allograft rejection and injury status. To investigate this possibility, we prospectively collected blood specimens at scheduled intervals and at the time of clinically indicated biopsies. In 102 kidney recipients, we measured plasma levels of dd-cfDNA and correlated the levels with allograft rejection status ascertained by histology in 107 biopsy specimens. The dd-cfDNA level discriminated between biopsy specimens showing any rejection (T cell-mediated rejection or antibody-mediated rejection [ABMR]) and controls (no rejection histologically), P rejection at a cutoff of 1.0% dd-cfDNA were 61% and 84%, respectively. The AUC for discriminating ABMR from samples without ABMR was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.97). Positive and negative predictive values for ABMR at a cutoff of 1.0% dd-cfDNA were 44% and 96%, respectively. Median dd-cfDNA was 2.9% (ABMR), 1.2% (T cell-mediated types ≥IB), 0.2% (T cell-mediated type IA), and 0.3% in controls ( P =0.05 for T cell-mediated rejection types ≥IB versus controls). Thus, dd-cfDNA may be used to assess allograft rejection and injury; dd-cfDNA levels rejection (T cell-mediated type ≥IB or ABMR) and levels >1% indicate a probability of active rejection. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Differences in health status between long-term and short-term benzodiazepine users.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zandstra, S.M.; Furer, J.W.; Lisdonk, E.H. van de; Bor, J.H.J.; Zitman, F.G.; Weel, C. van

2002-01-01

BACKGROUND: Despite generally accepted advice to keep treatment short, benzodiazepines are often prescibed for more than six months. Prevention of long-term benzodiazepine use could be facilitated by the utilisation of risk indicators for long-term use. However, the characteristics of long-term

Scientific Understanding from Long Term Observations: Insights from the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program

Science.gov (United States)

Gosz, J.

2001-12-01

The network dedicated to Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) in the United States has grown to 24 sites since it was formed in 1980. Long-term research and monitoring are performed on parameters thatare basic to all ecosystems and are required to understand patterns, processes, and relationship to change. Collectively, the sites in the LTER Network provide opportunities to contrast marine, coastal, and continental regions, the full range of climatic gradients existing in North America, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats in a range of ecosystem types. The combination of common core areas and long-term research and monitoring in many habitats have allowed unprecedented abilities to understand and compare complex temporal and spatial dynamics associated with issues like climate change, effects of pollution, biodiversity and landuse. For example, McMurdo Dry Valley in the Antarctic has demonstrated an increase in glacier mass since 1993 which coincides with a period of cooler than normal summers and more than average snowfall. In contrast, the Bonanza Creek and Toolik Lake sites in Alaska have recorded a warming period unprecedented in the past 200 years. Nitrogen deposition effects have been identified through long-term watershed studies on biogeochemical cycles, especially at Coweeta Hydrological Lab, Harvard Forest, and the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. In aquatic systems, such as the Northern Temperate Lakes site, long-term data revealed time lags in effects of invaders and disturbance on lake communities. Biological recovery from an effect such as lake acidification was shown to lag behind chemical recovery. The long-term changes documented over 2 decades have been instrumental in influencing management practices in many of the LTER areas. In Puerto Rico, the Luquillo LTER demonstrated that dams obstruct migrations of fish and freshwater shrimp and water abstraction at low flows can completely obliterate downstream migration of juveniles and damage

Disinfection of human skin allografts in tissue banking: a systematic review report.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, C; Callum, J; Mohr, J; Duong, A; Garibaldi, A; Simunovic, N; Ayeni, O R

2016-12-01

The use of skin allografts to temporarily replace lost or damaged skin is practiced worldwide. Naturally occurring contamination can be present on skin or can be introduced at recovery or during processing. This contamination can pose a threat to allograft recipients. Bacterial culture and disinfection of allografts are mandated, but the specific practices and methodologies are not dictated by standards. A systematic review of literature from three databases found 12 research articles that evaluated bioburden reduction processes of skin grafts. The use of broad spectrum antibiotics and antifungal agents was the most frequently identified disinfection method reported demonstrating reductions in contamination rates. It was determined that the greatest reduction in the skin allograft contamination rates utilized 0.1 % peracetic acid or 25 kGy of gamma irradiation at lower temperatures.

Prognostic importance of pulmonary hypertension in patients with heart failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjaergaard, Jesper; Akkan, Dilek; Iversen, Kasper Karmark

2007-01-01

Pulmonary hypertension is a well-known complication in heart failure, but its prognostic importance is less well established. This study assessed the risk associated with pulmonary hypertension in patients with heart failure with preserved or reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fractions. Pati...... obstructive lung disease, heart failure, and impaired renal function. In conclusion, pulmonary hypertension is associated with increased short- and long-term mortality in patients with reduced LV ejection fractions and also in patients with preserved LV ejection fractions.......Pulmonary hypertension is a well-known complication in heart failure, but its prognostic importance is less well established. This study assessed the risk associated with pulmonary hypertension in patients with heart failure with preserved or reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fractions....... Patients with known or presumed heart failure (n = 388) underwent the echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary systolic pressure and LV ejection fraction. Patients were followed for up to 5.5 years. Increased pulmonary pressure was associated with increased short- and long-term mortality (p

Quality control processes in allografting: A twenty-year retrospective review of a hospital-based bone bank in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Shau-Huai; Liu, Jyh-You; Huang, Chuan-Ching; Lin, Feng-Ling; Yang, Rong-Sen; Hou, Chun-Han

2017-01-01

Musculoskeletal allografts are now commonly used. To decrease the potential risks of transmission of pathogenic bacteria, fungi, or viruses to the transplant recipients, certain issues regarding the management of patients who receive contaminated allografts need to be addressed. We aimed to clarify the incidence and extent of disease transmission from allografts by analyzing the allografting procedures performed in the bone bank of our hospital over the past 20 years. We retrospectively reviewed the data from our allograft registry center on 3979 allografts that were implanted in 3193 recipients throughout a period of two decades, from July 1991 to June 2011. The source of the allografts, results of all screening tests, dates of harvesting and implantation, and recipients of all allografts were checked. With the help of the Center for Infection Control of our hospital, a strict prospective, hospital-wide, on-site surveillance was conducted, and every patient with healthcare-associated infection was identified. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the infection rate between recipients with sterile allografts and those with contaminated allografts. The overall discard and infection rates were, respectively, 23% and 1.3% in the first decade (1991-2001); and 18.4% and 1.25% in the second decade (2001-2011). The infection rate of contaminated allograft recipients was significantly higher than that of sterile allograft recipients (10% vs. 1.15%, P bank are comparable with those of international bone banks. Strict allograft processing and adequate prophylactic use of antibiotics are critical to prevent infection and disease transmission in such cases.

Long working hours and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kivimäki, Mika; Jokela, Markus; Nyberg, Solja T

2015-01-01

, Economic and Social Research Council, European Union New and Emerging Risks in Occupational Safety and Health research programme, Finnish Work Environment Fund, Swedish Research Council for Working Life and Social Research, German Social Accident Insurance, Danish National Research Centre for the Working......BACKGROUND: Long working hours might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but prospective evidence is scarce, imprecise, and mostly limited to coronary heart disease. We aimed to assess long working hours as a risk factor for incident coronary heart disease and stroke. METHODS: We...... identified published studies through a systematic review of PubMed and Embase from inception to Aug 20, 2014. We obtained unpublished data for 20 cohort studies from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) Consortium and open-access data archives. We used cumulative...

Very long-term sequelae of craniopharyngioma.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijnen, Mark; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M; Janssen, Joseph A M J L; Catsman-Berrevoets, Coriene E; Michiels, Erna M C; van Veelen-Vincent, Marie-Lise C; Dallenga, Alof H G; van den Berge, J Herbert; van Rij, Carolien M; van der Lely, Aart-Jan; Neggers, Sebastian J C M M

2017-06-01

Studies investigating long-term health conditions in patients with craniopharyngioma are limited by short follow-up durations and generally do not compare long-term health effects according to initial craniopharyngioma treatment approach. In addition, studies comparing long-term health conditions between patients with childhood- and adult-onset craniopharyngioma report conflicting results. The objective of this study was to analyse a full spectrum of long-term health effects in patients with craniopharyngioma according to initial treatment approach and age group at craniopharyngioma presentation. Cross-sectional study based on retrospective data. We studied a single-centre cohort of 128 patients with craniopharyngioma treated from 1980 onwards (63 patients with childhood-onset disease). Median follow-up since craniopharyngioma presentation was 13 years (interquartile range: 5-23 years). Initial craniopharyngioma treatment approaches included gross total resection ( n  = 25), subtotal resection without radiotherapy ( n  = 44), subtotal resection with radiotherapy ( n  = 25), cyst aspiration without radiotherapy ( n  = 8), and 90 Yttrium brachytherapy ( n  = 21). Pituitary hormone deficiencies (98%), visual disturbances (75%) and obesity (56%) were the most common long-term health conditions observed. Different initial craniopharyngioma treatment approaches resulted in similar long-term health effects. Patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma experienced significantly more growth hormone deficiency, diabetes insipidus, panhypopituitarism, morbid obesity, epilepsy and psychiatric conditions compared with patients with adult-onset disease. Recurrence-/progression-free survival was significantly lower after initial craniopharyngioma treatment with cyst aspiration compared with other therapeutic approaches. Survival was similar between patients with childhood- and adult-onset craniopharyngioma. Long-term health conditions were comparable after

Long-term prisoner in prison isolation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karolina Grudzińska

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Long-term prisoner belongs to a particular category of people who are imprisoned in prisons. On the one hand in this group are often heavily demoralized people who committed the most serious crimes, on the other hand it is a group of prisoners, who should be well thought out and programmed the impact of rehabilitation. The situation of man trapped for years poses in a complicated situation not only the prisoners, but also the entire prison staff. They have to take care of the fact that the prison isolation did not cause the state in which convicts form itself in learned helplessness and lack of skills for self-planning and decision-making. In addition, planning the rehabilitation impact of long-term prisoners should not be forgotten that these prisoners in the short or the long term will return to the libertarian environment therefore, should prevent any negative effects of long-term imprisonment. This article presents the main issues related to the execution of imprisonment against long-term prisoners. It is an attempt to systematize the knowledge of this category of people living in prison isolation.

The potential role of perivascular lymphatic vessels in preservation of kidney allograft function.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuchimoto, Akihiro; Nakano, Toshiaki; Hasegawa, Shoko; Masutani, Kosuke; Matsukuma, Yuta; Eriguchi, Masahiro; Nagata, Masaharu; Nishiki, Takehiro; Kitada, Hidehisa; Tanaka, Masao; Kitazono, Takanari; Tsuruya, Kazuhiko

2017-08-01

Lymphangiogenesis occurs in diseased native kidneys and kidney allografts, and correlates with histological injury; however, the clinical significance of lymphatic vessels in kidney allografts is unclear. This study retrospectively reviewed 63 kidney transplant patients who underwent protocol biopsies. Lymphatic vessels were identified by immunohistochemical staining for podoplanin, and were classified according to their location as perivascular or interstitial lymphatic vessels. The associations between perivascular lymphatic density and kidney allograft function and pathological findings were analyzed. There were no significant differences in perivascular lymphatic densities in kidney allograft biopsy specimens obtained at 0 h, 3 months and 12 months. The groups with higher perivascular lymphatic density showed a lower proportion of progression of interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy grade from 3 to 12 months (P for trend = 0.039). Perivascular lymphatic density was significantly associated with annual decline of estimated glomerular filtration rate after 12 months (r = -0.31, P = 0.017), even after adjusting for multiple confounders (standardized β = -0.30, P = 0.019). High perivascular lymphatic density is associated with favourable kidney allograft function. The perivascular lymphatic network may be involved in inhibition of allograft fibrosis and stabilization of graft function.

Long working hours may increase risk of coronary heart disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Mo-Yeol; Cho, Soo-Hun; Yoo, Min-Sang; Kim, Taeshik; Hong, Yun-Chul

2014-11-01

To evaluate the association between long working hours and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) estimated by Framingham risk score (FRS) in Korean adults. This study evaluated adult participants in Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV (2007-2009). After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, the final sample size for this study model was 8,350. Subjects were asked about working hours and health status. Participants also completed physical examinations and biochemical measurement necessary for estimation of FRS. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to investigate the association between working hours and 10-year risk for CHD estimated by FRS. Compared to those who work 31-40 hr, significantly higher 10-year risk was estimated among subjects working longer hours. As working hours increased, odds ratio (OR) for upper 10 percent of estimated 10-year risk for CHD was increased up to 1.94. Long working hours are significantly related to risk of coronary heart disease. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Long-term use and follow-up of autologous and homologous cartilage graft in rhinoplasty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghasemali Khorasani

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Cartilage grafting is used in rhinoplasty and reconstructive surgeries. Autologous rib and nasal septum cartilage (auto graft is the preferred source of graft material in rhinoplasty, however, homologous cartilage (allograft has been extensively used to correct the nasal framework in nasal deformities. Autologous cartilage graft usage is restricted with complication of operation and limiting availability of tissue for extensive deformities. Alternatively, preserved costal cartilage allograft represents a readily available and easily contoured material. The current study was a formal systematic review of complications associated with autologous versus homologous cartilage grafting in rhinoplasty patients. Methods: In this cohort retrospective study, a total of 124 patients undergone primary or revision rhinoplasty using homologous or autologus grafts with postoperative follow-up ranging from 6 to 60 months were studied. The types of grafts and complications related to the grafts were evaluated. This included evaluation for warping, infection, resorption, mobility and fracture. Results: The total complications related to the cartilage grafts were 7 cases, which included 1 warped in auto graft group, three cases of graft displacement (two in allograft group and one in auto graft group and three fractures in allograft group. No infection and resorption was recorded. Complication rate (confidence interval 0.95 in autologous and homologous group were 1.25(0.4-3.88 and 2.08(0.78-5.55 in 1000 months follow up. There was no statistically significant difference between autologous and homologous group complications. Onset of complication in autologous and homologous group were 51.23(49.27-53.19 and 58.7(54.51-62.91 month respectively (P=0.81. Conclusion: The allograft cartilage has the advantage of avoiding donor-site scar. Moreover, it provides the same benefits as autologous costal cartilage with comparable complication rate. Therefore, it

Competitive short-term and long-term memory processes in spatial habituation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanderson, David J; Bannerman, David M

2011-04-01

Exposure to a spatial location leads to habituation of exploration such that, in a novelty preference test, rodents subsequently prefer exploring a novel location to the familiar location. According to Wagner's (1981) theory of memory, short-term and long-term habituation are caused by separate and sometimes opponent processes. In the present study, this dual-process account of memory was tested. Mice received a series of exposure training trials to a location before receiving a novelty preference test. The novelty preference was greater when tested after a short, rather than a long, interval. In contrast, the novelty preference was weaker when exposure training trials were separated by a short, rather than a long interval. Furthermore, it was found that long-term habituation was determined by the independent effects of the amount of exposure training and the number of exposure training trials when factors such as the intertrial interval and the cumulative intertrial interval were controlled. A final experiment demonstrated that a long-term reduction of exploration could be caused by a negative priming effect due to associations formed during exploration. These results provide evidence against a single-process account of habituation and suggest that spatial habituation is determined by both short-term, recency-based memory and long-term, incrementally strengthened memory.

Metabolic Profiles in Ovine Carotid Arteries with Developmental Maturation and Long-Term Hypoxia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravi Goyal

Full Text Available Long-term hypoxia (LTH is an important stressor related to health and disease during development. At different time points from fetus to adult, we are exposed to hypoxic stress because of placental insufficiency, high-altitude residence, smoking, chronic anemia, pulmonary, and heart disorders, as well as cancers. Intrauterine hypoxia can lead to fetal growth restriction and long-term sequelae such as cognitive impairments, hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, and schizophrenia. Similarly, prolonged hypoxic exposure during adult life can lead to acute mountain sickness, chronic fatigue, chronic headache, cognitive impairment, acute cerebral and/or pulmonary edema, and death.LTH also can lead to alteration in metabolites such as fumarate, 2-oxoglutarate, malate, and lactate, which are linked to epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Importantly, during the intrauterine life, a fetus is under a relative hypoxic environment, as compared to newborn or adult. Thus, the changes in gene expression with development from fetus to newborn to adult may be as a consequence of underlying changes in the metabolic profile because of the hypoxic environment along with developmental maturation. To examine this possibility, we examined the metabolic profile in carotid arteries from near-term fetus, newborn, and adult sheep in both normoxic and long-term hypoxic acclimatized groups.Our results demonstrate that LTH differentially regulated glucose metabolism, mitochondrial metabolism, nicotinamide cofactor metabolism, oxidative stress and antioxidants, membrane lipid hydrolysis, and free fatty acid metabolism, each of which may play a role in genetic-epigenetic regulation.

Quality control processes in allografting: A twenty-year retrospective review of a hospital-based bone bank in Taiwan.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shau-Huai Fu

Full Text Available Musculoskeletal allografts are now commonly used. To decrease the potential risks of transmission of pathogenic bacteria, fungi, or viruses to the transplant recipients, certain issues regarding the management of patients who receive contaminated allografts need to be addressed. We aimed to clarify the incidence and extent of disease transmission from allografts by analyzing the allografting procedures performed in the bone bank of our hospital over the past 20 years. We retrospectively reviewed the data from our allograft registry center on 3979 allografts that were implanted in 3193 recipients throughout a period of two decades, from July 1991 to June 2011. The source of the allografts, results of all screening tests, dates of harvesting and implantation, and recipients of all allografts were checked. With the help of the Center for Infection Control of our hospital, a strict prospective, hospital-wide, on-site surveillance was conducted, and every patient with healthcare-associated infection was identified. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the infection rate between recipients with sterile allografts and those with contaminated allografts. The overall discard and infection rates were, respectively, 23% and 1.3% in the first decade (1991-2001; and 18.4% and 1.25% in the second decade (2001-2011. The infection rate of contaminated allograft recipients was significantly higher than that of sterile allograft recipients (10% vs. 1.15%, P < 0.01 in the second decade. Both infection and discard rates of our bone bank are comparable with those of international bone banks. Strict allograft processing and adequate prophylactic use of antibiotics are critical to prevent infection and disease transmission in such cases.

Long term liquidity analysis of the firm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaroslav Gonos

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Liquidity control is a very difficult and important function. If the business is not liquid in the long term, it is under threatof bankruptcy, and on the other hand surplus of the cash in hand threaten its future efficiency, because the cash in hand is a sourceof only limited profitability. Long term liquidity is related to the ability of the short term and long term liabilities payment. Articleis trying to point out to the monitoring and analyzing of the long term liquidity in the concrete business, in this case the printing industrycompany. Hereby at the end of the article mentioned monitored and analyzed liquidity is evaluated in the five years time period.

Chondroblastoma of the Knee Treated with Resection and Osteochondral Allograft Reconstruction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judd Fitzgerald

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Case. This case report describes the operative management of 16-year-old male with a symptomatic chondroblastoma of the distal femur with breach of the chondral surface. Following appropriate imaging and core needle biopsy, the diagnosis was confirmed histologically. The patient then underwent intralesional curettage and osteochondral allograft reconstruction of the defect. At one-year follow-up the patient was pain-free and has obtained excellent range of motion. There is radiographic evidence of allograft incorporation and no evidence of local recurrence. Conclusion. Osteochondral allograft reconstruction is an effective option following marginal resection and curettage of chondroblastoma involving the chondral surface of the distal femur.

Long-term results of heart valve replacement with the Edwards Duromedics bileaflet prosthesis: a prospective ten-year clinical follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Podesser, B K; Khuenl-Brady, G; Eigenbauer, E; Roedler, S; Schmiedberger, A; Wolner, E; Moritz, A

1998-05-01

The Edwards Duromedics valve (Baxter Healthcare Corp., Edwards Division, Santa Ana, Calif.) was designed with a self-irrigating hinge mechanism to reduce thromboembolic complications. After good initial clinical results, distribution was suspended in 1988 after reports of valve fracture after 20,000 valves had been implanted. The manufacturer conducted extensive studies to improve the Edwards Duromedics and reintroduced a modified version, which is available as Edwards Tekna. The purpose of the study was the evaluation of long-term results of the original Edwards Duromedics that might be important for the current version, the Edwards Tekna valve. A prospective clinical 10-year follow-up was performed of 508 patients who underwent valve replacement with the Edwards Duromedics valve in the aortic (n = 268), mitral (n = 183), and aortic and mitral (n = 56) position. The perioperative mortality rate was 6.9%; follow-up was 98% complete, comprising 3648 patient-years for a mean follow-up of 86 months (range: 33 to 144 months). The actuarial freedom from complications at the 10-year follow-up and the incidence rate (percent per patient-year) were as follows: late mortality rate, 69.2% +/- 2.4% (3.5% per patient-year); thromboembolism, 90.7% +/- 1.6% (0.96% per patient-year); anticoagulation-related hemorrhage, 87.7% +/- 1.7% (1.34% per patient-year); prosthetic valve endocarditis, 96.7% +/- 0.09% (0.38% per patient-year); valve-related mortality rate, 89.3% +/- 1.6% (1.21% per patient-year); valve failure, 86.2% +/- 1.85% (1.54% per patient-year); and valve-related morbidity and mortality rate, 71.1% +/- 2.3% (3.2% per patient-year). Three leaflet escapes were observed (one lethal, two successful reoperations; 99.1% +/- 0.05% freedom, 0.08% per patient-year). All patients functionally improved (86% in New York Heart Association classes I and II), and incidence of anemia was insignificant. These results confirm that the Edwards Duromedics valve shows excellent performance

Long-term tricuspid valve prosthesis-related complications in patients with congenital heart disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Slooten, Ymkje J.; Freling, Hendrik G.; van Melle, Joost P.; Mulder, Barbara J. M.; Jongbloed, Monique R. M.; Ebels, Tjark; Voors, Adriaan A.; Pieper, Petronella G.

2014-01-01

In patients with acquired valvar disease, morbidity and mortality rates after tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) are high. However, in adult patients with congenital heart disease, though data concerning outcome after TVR are scarce, even poorer results are suggested in patients with Ebstein anomaly.

Long-term tricuspid valve prosthesis-related complications in patients with congenital heart disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Slooten, Ymkje J.; Freling, Hendrik G.; van Melle, Joost P.; Mulder, Barbara J. M.; Jongbloed, Monique R. M.; Ebels, Tjark; Voors, Adriaan A.; Pieper, Petronella G.

OBJECTIVES: In patients with acquired valvar disease, morbidity and mortality rates after tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) are high. However, in adult patients with congenital heart disease, though data concerning outcome after TVR are scarce, even poorer results are suggested in patients with

Biomarkers for early and late stage chronic allograft nephropathy by proteogenomic profiling of peripheral blood.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunil M Kurian

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Despite significant improvements in life expectancy of kidney transplant patients due to advances in surgery and immunosuppression, Chronic Allograft Nephropathy (CAN remains a daunting problem. A complex network of cellular mechanisms in both graft and peripheral immune compartments complicates the non-invasive diagnosis of CAN, which still requires biopsy histology. This is compounded by non-immunological factors contributing to graft injury. There is a pressing need to identify and validate minimally invasive biomarkers for CAN to serve as early predictors of graft loss and as metrics for managing long-term immunosuppression.We used DNA microarrays, tandem mass spectroscopy proteomics and bioinformatics to identify genomic and proteomic markers of mild and moderate/severe CAN in peripheral blood of two distinct cohorts (n = 77 total of kidney transplant patients with biopsy-documented histology.Gene expression profiles reveal over 2400 genes for mild CAN, and over 700 for moderate/severe CAN. A consensus analysis reveals 393 (mild and 63 (moderate/severe final candidates as CAN markers with predictive accuracy of 80% (mild and 92% (moderate/severe. Proteomic profiles show over 500 candidates each, for both stages of CAN including 302 proteins unique to mild and 509 unique to moderate/severe CAN.This study identifies several unique signatures of transcript and protein biomarkers with high predictive accuracies for mild and moderate/severe CAN, the most common cause of late allograft failure. These biomarkers are the necessary first step to a proteogenomic classification of CAN based on peripheral blood profiling and will be the targets of a prospective clinical validation study.

Churg-Strauss Syndrome: The Clinical Features and Long-term Follow-up of 17 Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Mi-Jung; Lee, Jin-Young; Kwon, Nam-Hee

2006-01-01

Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare multi-system vasculitis; some cases have been reported in Korea. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical features, treatment outcome, and long-term follow-up of CSS from a single Korean medical center. Between 1995 and 2004, seventeen patients were diagnosed with CSS at the Department of Medicine of the Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine. The diagnosis of CSS is based on the classification criteria of the American Collage of Rheumatology. All patients had asthma. As in other case series, the lung, peripheral nervous system, and skin were the most commonly involved organs. During the active stage of the disease, most of the patients exhibited peripheral blood eosinophilia and an elevated serum eosinophil cationic protein level. Ten patients were treated with pulses of methylprednisolone followed by tapering and cyclophosphamide, and the others were treated with corticosteroids alone. The outcomes after long-term follow-up were generally good. One patient who was refractory to initial treatment died of heart failure during the follow-up period. CSS was highly variable in its presentation and course. The manifestations may range from mild symptoms to life-threatening conditions. The outcome after long-term follow-up was as good as that of previous studies. PMID:16614512

Surgical approach to end-stage heart failure.

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Klotz, Stefan; Scheld, Hans H

2011-02-01

End-stage heart failure is a challenging disease with growing incidence. With decreasing heart transplant rates worldwide organ preserving therapies become, again, of interest. The purpose of the present review is to examine the potential challenges of surgical therapies in patients with end-stage heart failure. The gold-standard for end-stage heart failure is and will be cardiac transplantation. However, due to organ shortage this therapy is limited to a few patients. Therefore implantation of ventricular assist devices (VADs) or long-term minimal-invasive partial support devices will increase. Improvements in device design with smaller devices, easier implantation techniques, and modified anticoagulation outcome and long-term success will likely improve. In addition, good quality of life as destination therapy is almost available. Organ conservation surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting and surgical ventricular restoration or surgical repair of mitral valve regurgitation) in end-stage heart failure patients could not prove the expected results. Transcatheter or minimal-invasive approaches of these therapies might become routine in the near future. Due to the overwhelming outcome rates, cardiac transplantation is the most established surgical therapy for end-stage heart failure. VAD therapy is increasing and minimized VADs might further open the market for destination therapy/permanent support.

The role of CD8+ T cells during allograft rejection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Bueno

2002-11-01

Full Text Available Organ transplantation can be considered as replacement therapy for patients with end-stage organ failure. The percent of one-year allograft survival has increased due, among other factors, to a better understanding of the rejection process and new immunosuppressive drugs. Immunosuppressive therapy used in transplantation prevents activation and proliferation of alloreactive T lymphocytes, although not fully preventing chronic rejection. Recognition by recipient T cells of alloantigens expressed by donor tissues initiates immune destruction of allogeneic transplants. However, there is controversy concerning the relative contribution of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to allograft rejection. Some animal models indicate that there is an absolute requirement for CD4+ T cells in allogeneic rejection, whereas in others CD4-depleted mice reject certain types of allografts. Moreover, there is evidence that CD8+ T cells are more resistant to immunotherapy and tolerance induction protocols. An intense focal infiltration of mainly CD8+CTLA4+ T lymphocytes during kidney rejection has been described in patients. This suggests that CD8+ T cells could escape from immunosuppression and participate in the rejection process. Our group is primarily interested in the immune mechanisms involved in allograft rejection. Thus, we believe that a better understanding of the role of CD8+ T cells in allograft rejection could indicate new targets for immunotherapy in transplantation. Therefore, the objective of the present review was to focus on the role of the CD8+ T cell population in the rejection of allogeneic tissue.

Treatment options for renal cell carcinoma in renal allografts: a case series from a single institution.

Science.gov (United States)

Swords, Darden C; Al-Geizawi, Samer M; Farney, Alan C; Rogers, Jeffrey; Burkart, John M; Assimos, Dean G; Stratta, Robert J

2013-01-01

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is more common in renal transplant and dialysis patients than the general population. However, RCC in transplanted kidneys is rare, and treatment has previously consisted of nephrectomy with a return to dialysis. There has been recent interest in nephron-sparing procedures as a treatment option for RCC in allograft kidneys in an effort to retain allograft function. Four patients with RCC in allograft kidneys were treated with nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy, or radiofrequency ablation. All of the patients are without evidence of recurrence of RCC after treatment. We found nephron-sparing procedures to be reasonable initial options in managing incidental RCCs diagnosed in functioning allografts to maintain an improved quality of life and avoid immediate dialysis compared with radical nephrectomy of a functioning allograft. However, in non-functioning renal allografts, radical nephrectomy may allow for a higher chance of cure without the loss of transplant function. Consequently, radical nephrectomy should be utilized whenever the allograft is non-functioning and the patient's surgical risk is not prohibitive. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Long-term contracts vs. short-term trade of natural gas - a European perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neuhoff, Karsten; Hirschhausen, Christian von

2005-01-01

This paper analyses the economics of long-term gas contracts under changing institutional conditions, mainly gas sector liberalisation. The paper is motivated by the increasingly tense debate in continental Europe, UK and the US on the security of long-term gas supply. We discuss the main issues regarding long-term contracts, i.e. the changing role of the flexibility clause, the effect of abandoning the destination clause, and the strategic behaviour of producers between long-term sales and spot-sales. The literature suggests consumers and producers benefit from risk hedging through long-term contracts. Furthermore long-term contracts may reduce exercise of market power. Our analysis adds an additional benefit if the long-run demand elasticity is significantly lower than the short-run elasticity, both strategic producers and consumers benefit from lower prices and larger market volume. Some policy implications of the findings are also discussed. (Author)

Assessment of the relationship between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and renal allograft survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chun-Hua; Lu, Yi; Chen, Xue-Xia; Xian, Wen-Feng; Tu, Wei-Feng; Li, Hong-Yan

2015-12-01

The relationship between the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphism and renal allograft survival after renal transplantation from the published reports are still debatable. This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between the ACE I/D gene polymorphism and renal allograft survival after renal transplantation using meta-analysis. Eligible studies were identified from PubMed and Cochrane Library on 1 November 2014, and eligible studies were recruited and synthesized using a meta-analysis methodology. Twelve investigations were included in this meta-analysis for the assessment of the relationship between the ACE I/D gene polymorphism and renal allograft survival. In this meta-analysis, the ACE I/D gene polymorphism was not associated with renal allograft survival after renal transplantation for overall populations, Caucasians, Brazilians and Africans. Interestingly, the ACE D allele and DD genotype were associated with renal allograft survival after renal transplantation in the Asian population. ACE D allele and DD genotype were associated with renal allograft survival after renal transplantation in the Asian population. However, more studies should be performed to confirm this association. © The Author(s) 2015.

The uranium industry: long-term planning for short-term competition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vottero, X.; Georges Capus, G.

2001-01-01

Long term planning for short term competition Today, uranium producers face new challenges in terms of both production (new regulatory, environmental and social constraints) and market conditions (new sources of uranium supply, very low prices and tough competition). In such a context, long-term planning is not just a prerequisite to survive in the nuclear fuel cycle industry. In fact, it also contributes to sustaining nuclear electricity generation facing fierce competition from other energy sources in increasingly deregulated markets. Firstly, the risk of investing in new mining projects in western countries is growing because, on the one hand, of very erratic market conditions and, on the other hand, of increasingly lengthy, complex and unpredictable regulatory conditions. Secondly, the supply of other sources of uranium (uranium derived from nuclear weapons, uranium produced in CIS countries, ...) involve other risks, mainly related to politics and commercial restrictions. Consequently, competitive uranium supply requires not only technical competence but also financial strength and good marketing capabilities in order to anticipate long-term market trends, in terms of both demand and supply. It also requires taking into account new parameters such as politics, environment, regulations, etc. Today, a supplier dedicated to the sustainable production of nuclear electricity must manage a broad range of long-term risks inherent to the procurement of uranium. Taking into account all these parameters in a context of short-term, fast-changing market is a great challenge for the future generation. World Uranium Civilian Supply and Demand. (authors)

Long-term biodosimetry Redux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, Steven L.; Bouville, Andre

2016-01-01

This paper revisits and reiterates the needs, purposes and requirements of bio-dosimetric assays for long-term dose and health risk assessments. While the most crucial need for bio-dosimetric assays is to guide medical response for radiation accidents, the value of such techniques for improving our understanding of radiation health risk by supporting epidemiological (long-term health risk) studies is significant. As new cohorts of exposed persons are identified and new health risk studies are undertaken with the hopes that studying the exposed will result in a deeper understanding of radiation risk, the value of reliable dose reconstruction is underscored. The ultimate application of biodosimetry in long-term health risk studies would be to completely replace model-based dose reconstruction-a complex suite of methods for retrospectively estimating dose that is commonly fraught with large uncertainties due to the absence of important exposure-related information, as well as imperfect models. While biodosimetry could potentially supplant model-based doses, there are numerous limitations of presently available techniques that constrain their widespread application in health risk research, including limited ability to assess doses received far in the past, high cost, great inter-individual variability, invasiveness, higher than preferred detection limits and the inability to assess internal dose (for the most part). These limitations prevent the extensive application of biodosimetry to large cohorts and should be considered a challenge to researchers to develop new and more flexible techniques that meet the demands of long-term health risk research. Events in recent years, e.g. the Fukushima reactor accident and the increased threat of nuclear terrorism, underscore that any event that results in significant radiation exposures of a group of people will also produce a much larger population, exposed at lower levels, but that likewise needs (or demands) an exposure

Clinical long-term outcome of septal myectomy for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Schleihauf, Julia; Cleuziou, Julie; Pabst von Ohain, Jelena; Meierhofer, Christian; Stern, Heiko; Shehu, Nerejda; Mkrtchyan, Naira; Kaltenecker, Emanuel; Kühn, Andreas; Nagdyman, Nicole; Hager, Alfred; Seidel, Heide; Lange, Rüdiger; Ewert, Peter; Wolf, Cordula M

2018-03-01

Surgical septal myectomy is performed to relieve left ventricular outflow tract narrowing in severe drug-refractory obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The objective of this study was to assess the perioperative and long-term clinical outcome of this procedure performed during infancy. Clinical, transthoracic echocardiographic, electrocardiographic, 24-h Holter, cardiopulmonary exercise test and genetic data were extracted by medical record review. A subset of patients underwent additional prospective detailed clinical evaluation including cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with contrast. Surgery was performed in 23 paediatric patients between 1978 and 2015 at the German Heart Centre Munich. Twelve patients had undergone surgery during infancy (≤ 1 year) (Group A), 11 between 1 and 18 years of age (Group B). The underlying genetic diagnosis was Noonan syndrome spectrum and non-syndromic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. As compared to Group B, patients in Group A showed more concomitant cardiac procedures and received more homologous transfusions. One perioperative death occurred in Group A, and none in Group B. Two patients in Group A but no patient in Group B required redo septal myectomy. The long-term clinical outcome was similar between the 2 groups. One patient in Group B required cardioverter-defibrillator/pacemaker implantation for higher degree atrioventricular block and none in Group A. There was no evidence of differences in myocardial fibrosis between groups on long-term follow-up magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical septal myectomy can be performed safely during infancy with favourable perioperative and long-term clinical outcome but with a trend towards a higher reoperation rate later in life. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Effect of long-term calcitonin administration on steroid-induced osteoporosis after cardiac transplantation.

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Kapetanakis, Emmanouil I; Antonopoulos, Athanassios S; Antoniou, Theofani A; Theodoraki, Kassiani A; Zarkalis, Dimitrios A; Sfirakis, Peter D; Chilidou, Despina A; Alivizatos, Peter A

2005-05-01

Early, rapid bone loss and fractures after cardiac transplantation are well-documented complications of steroid administration; therefore, we undertook this study on the effects of long-term calcitonin on steroid-induced osteoporosis. Twenty-three heart transplant recipients on maintenance immunosuppression with cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone were retrospectively studied. All patients received long-term prophylactic treatment with elemental calcium and vitamin D. Twelve (52.2%) patients also received long-term intranasal salmon calcitonin, whereas 11 (47.8%) received none. Bone mineral density and vertebral fractures were assessed at yearly intervals. Statistical comparisons between each group's bone loss during the first year and in the early (1 to 3 years), intermediate (4 to 6 years) and late (7+ years) post-transplantation periods were done. Lumbar spine bone loss was significant during the early follow-up period in the group not receiving calcitonin (0.744 +/- 0.114 g/cm(2) vs 0.978 +/- 0.094 g/cm(2) [p = 0.002]). The calcitonin group showed bone mineral density (BMD) levels within normal average values throughout the study period. BMD increased in the no-calcitonin group during the intermediate (4 to 6 years) and late (7+ years) follow-up periods, with values approaching normal average and no significant difference between the 2 groups (0.988 +/- 0.184 g/cm(2) vs 0.982 +/- 0.088 g/cm(2) [p = 0.944] and 0.89 +/- 0.09 g/cm(2) vs 1.048 +/- 0.239 g/cm(2) [p = 0.474], respectively). Prophylactic treatment with intranasal salmon calcitonin prevents rapid bone loss associated with high-dose steroids early after cardiac transplantation. Long-term administration does not seem warranted in re-establishing BMD.

Long term radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavie, J.M.

1984-01-01

In France, waste management, a sensitive issue in term of public opinion, is developing quickly, and due to twenty years of experience, is now reaching maturity. With the launching of the French nuclear programme, the use of radioactive sources in radiotherapy and industry, waste management has become an industrial activity. Waste management is an integrated system dealing with the wastes from their production to the long term disposal, including their identification, sortage, treatment, packaging, collection and transport. This system aims at guaranteing the protection of present and future populations with an available technology. In regard to their long term management, and the design of disposals, radioactive wastes are divided in three categories. This classification takes into account the different radioisotopes contained, their half life and their total activity. Presently short-lived wastes are stored in the shallowland disposal of the ''Centre de la Manche''. Set up within the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), the National Agency for waste management (ANDRA) is responsible within the framework of legislative and regulatory provisions for long term waste management in France [fr

Diagnosing Coronary Heart Disease using Ensemble Machine Learning

OpenAIRE

Kathleen H. Miao; Julia H. Miao; George J. Miao

2016-01-01

Globally, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. One in every four people is afflicted with and dies of heart disease. Early and accurate diagnoses of heart disease thus are crucial in improving the chances of long-term survival for patients and saving millions of lives. In this research, an advanced ensemble machine learning technology, utilizing an adaptive Boosting algorithm, is developed for accurate coronary heart disease diagnosis and outcome predictions. Th...

Modeling long-term dynamics of electricity markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsina, Fernando; Garces, Francisco; Haubrich, H.-J.

2006-01-01

In the last decade, many countries have restructured their electricity industries by introducing competition in their power generation sectors. Although some restructuring has been regarded as successful, the short experience accumulated with liberalized power markets does not allow making any founded assertion about their long-term behavior. Long-term prices and long-term supply reliability are now center of interest. This concerns firms considering investments in generation capacity and regulatory authorities interested in assuring the long-term supply adequacy and the stability of power markets. In order to gain significant insight into the long-term behavior of liberalized power markets, in this paper, a simulation model based on system dynamics is proposed and the underlying mathematical formulations extensively discussed. Unlike classical market models based on the assumption that market outcomes replicate the results of a centrally made optimization, the approach presented here focuses on replicating the system structure of power markets and the logic of relationships among system components in order to derive its dynamical response. The simulations suggest that there might be serious problems to adjust early enough the generation capacity necessary to maintain stable reserve margins, and consequently, stable long-term price levels. Because of feedback loops embedded in the structure of power markets and the existence of some time lags, the long-term market development might exhibit a quite volatile behavior. By varying some exogenous inputs, a sensitivity analysis is carried out to assess the influence of these factors on the long-run market dynamics

Long Term Follow-Up after a Randomized Integrated Educational and Psychosocial Intervention in Patient-Partner Dyads Affected by Heart Failure.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Liljeroos

Full Text Available To date, contemporary heart failure care remains patient-focused, but awareness of the partners' and families' situation is increasing. Randomized studies have mainly evaluated the short-term effects of dyadic interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the 24-month effects of an intervention with psych-educational support in dyads of heart failure patients and their partners.This study used a randomized study design and 155 patient-partner dyads were enrolled. The intervention included a nurse-led program of three sessions addressing psychoeducational support.The intervention did not have any effect on health, depressive symptoms or perceived control among the patient-partner dyads after 24 months. Furthermore, time to first event did not differ significantly between the intervention group and the control patients.This study may be regarded as a first step in trying to understand dyads' need for supportive care. Individualized and more targeted interventions seem necessary to achieve a higher impact on dyad outcomes.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02398799.

Short-term memory and long-term memory are still different.

Science.gov (United States)

Norris, Dennis

2017-09-01

A commonly expressed view is that short-term memory (STM) is nothing more than activated long-term memory. If true, this would overturn a central tenet of cognitive psychology-the idea that there are functionally and neurobiologically distinct short- and long-term stores. Here I present an updated case for a separation between short- and long-term stores, focusing on the computational demands placed on any STM system. STM must support memory for previously unencountered information, the storage of multiple tokens of the same type, and variable binding. None of these can be achieved simply by activating long-term memory. For example, even a simple sequence of digits such as "1, 3, 1" where there are 2 tokens of the digit "1" cannot be stored in the correct order simply by activating the representations of the digits "1" and "3" in LTM. I also review recent neuroimaging data that has been presented as evidence that STM is activated LTM and show that these data are exactly what one would expect to see based on a conventional 2-store view. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Use of massive structural allograft in revision septic hip arthroplasty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imran Ilyas; Morgan, F.; David, A.

1999-01-01

The reconstruction of failed septic hip arthroplasty with the use of massive osseous allograft segments is reported in ten patients. All of these patients had a two-stage procedure with an interval Girdlestone arthroplasty separating the initial demolition from the subsequent reconstruction. The mean follow-up was 58 months (range 36 to 98 months) and the most common pathogen isolated was Staphylococcus epidermidis. The mean preoperative modified Harris hip score was 27 points (range 9 to 58) and the mean postoperative score was 73 points (range 53 to 92). There was one patient who required an additional procedure not related to allograft use. There has been no case of recurrence of infection. We conclude that the revision of septic hip arthroplasty in the use of massive allografts do not have to be mutually exclusive events

Allograft tissue irradiation and failure rate after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dashe, Jesse; Parisien, Robert L; Cusano, Antonio; Curry, Emily J; Bedi, Asheesh; Li, Xinning

2016-06-18

To evaluate whether anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) allograft irradiation is effective for sterility without compromising graft integrity and increasing failure rate. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, and Google. The following search terms were used: "Gamma irradiation AND anterior cruciate ligament AND allograft" with a return of 30 items. Filters used included: English language, years 1990-2015. There were 6 hits that were not reviewed, as there were only abstracts available. Another 5 hits were discarded, as they did not pertain to the topic of interest. There were 9 more articles that were excluded: Three studies were performed on animals and 6 studies were meta-analyses. Therefore, a total of 10 articles were applicable to review. There is a delicate dosing crossover where gamma irradiation is both effective for sterility without catastrophically compromising the structural integrity of the graft. Of note, low dose irradiation is considered less than 2.0 Mrad, moderate dose is between 2.1-2.4 Mrad, and high dose is greater than or equal to 2.5 Mrad. Based upon the results of the literature search, the optimal threshold for sterilization was found to be sterilization at less than 2.2 Mrad of gamma irradiation with the important caveat of being performed at low temperatures. The graft selection process also must include thorough donor screening and testing as well as harvesting the tissue in a sterile fashion. Utilization of higher dose (≥ 2.5 Mrad) of irradiation causes greater allograft tissue laxity that results in greater graft failure rate clinically in patients after ACL reconstruction. Allograft ACL graft gamma irradiated with less than 2.2 Mrad appears to be a reasonable alternative to autograft for patients above 25 years of age.

Long-term effects of earthquake experience of young persons on cardiovascular disease risk factors

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Na; Wang, Yumei; Yu, Lulu; Song, Mei; Wang, Lan; Ji, Chunpeng

2016-01-01

Introduction The aim of the study was to study the long-term effect on cardiovascular disease risk factors of stress from direct experience of an earthquake as a young person. Material and methods We selected workers born between July 1, 1958 and July 1, 1976 who were examined at Kailuan General Hospital between May and October of 2013. Data on cardiovascular events were taken during the workers’ annual health examination conducted between 2006 and 2007. All subjects were divided into three groups according to their experience of the Tangshan earthquake of July 28, 1976, as follows: control group; exposed group 1 and exposed group 2. We compared cardiovascular disease risk factors between the three groups as well as by gender and age. Results One thousand one hundred and ninety-six workers were included in the final statistical analysis. Among all subjects, resting heart rate (p = 0.003), total cholesterol (p earthquake compared with unexposed controls, but were unrelated to loss of relatives. No significant difference in triglyceride levels was observed between the three groups (p = 0.900). Further refinement showed that the effects were restricted to males 40 years of age or older at the time of analysis, but were due primarily to age at the time of earthquake exposure (p = 0.002, p Earthquake experience in the early years of life has long-term effects on adult resting heart rate, total cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose, especially among men. PMID:28144258

Recommendations for use of marginal donors in heart transplantation: Brazilian Association of Organs Transplantation guideline.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiorelli, A I; Stolf, N A G; Pego-Fernandes, P M; Oliveira Junior, J L; Santos, R H B; Contreras, C A M; Filho, D D L; Dinkhuysen, J J; Moreira, M C V; Mejia, J A C; Castro, M C R

2011-01-01

The high prevalence of heart failure has increased the candidate list for heart transplantation; however, there is a shortage of viable donated organs, which is responsible for the high mortality of patients awaiting a transplantation. Because the marginal donor presents additional risk factors, it is not considered to be an ideal donor. The use of a marginal donor is only justified in situations when the risk of patient death due to heart disease is greater than that offered by the donor. These recommendations sought to expand the supply of donors, consequently increasing the transplant rate. We selected articles based on robust evidence to provide a substratum to develop recommendations for donors who exceed the traditional acceptance criteria. Recipient survival in the immediate postoperative period is intimately linked to allograft quality. Primary allograft failure is responsible for 38% to 40% of immediate deaths after heart transplantation: therefore; marginal donor selection must be more rigorous to not increase the surgical risk. The main donor risk factors with the respective evidence levels are: cancer in the donor (B), female donor (B), donor death due to hemorrhagic stroke (B), donor age above 50 years (relative risk [RR] = 1.5) (B), weight mismatch between donor and recipient 240 minutes (RR = 1.2) (B), left ventricular dysfunction with ejection fraction below 45% (B), and use of high doses of vasoactive drugs (dopamine > 15 mg/kg·min) (B). Factors that impact recipient mortality are: age over 50 years (RR = 1.5); allograft harvest at a distance; adult recipient weighing more than 20% of the donor; high doses of vasoactive drugs (dopamine greater than 15 mg/kg·min) and ischemic time >4 hours. The use of a marginal donor is only justified when it is able to increase life expectancy compared with clinical treatment, albeit the outcomes are interior to those using an ideal donor. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of bone allograft in Kuala Lumpur Hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruslan Nazaruddin

1999-01-01

We have revived twenty two patients who underwent surgery requiring allograft in Hospital Kuala Lumpur between 1994-1997. There were 12 females and 10 males with mean age of 49. 8 year old. The surgery was done for various reason namely revision total hip replacement (THR), traumatic fracture with bone gap, lower limb tumour excision and spine tumour excision. The reason for using allograft, are mainly to reconstruct the acetabulum and femoral bone defects, as a gap filler following excision of tumour, also prosthesis and as on lay. The progress of these patients will be mentioned

Long-Term Collections

CERN Multimedia

Comité des collectes à long terme

2011-01-01

It is the time of the year when our fireman colleagues go around the laboratory for their traditional calendars sale. A part of the money of the sales will be donated in favour of the long-term collections. We hope that you will welcome them warmly.

Monitoring pharmacologically induced immunosuppression by immune repertoire sequencing to detect acute allograft rejection in heart transplant patients: a proof-of-concept diagnostic accuracy study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Vollmers

2015-10-01

Full Text Available It remains difficult to predict and to measure the efficacy of pharmacological immunosuppression. We hypothesized that measuring the B-cell repertoire would enable assessment of the overall level of immunosuppression after heart transplantation.In this proof-of-concept study, we implemented a molecular-barcode-based immune repertoire sequencing assay that sensitively and accurately measures the isotype and clonal composition of the circulating B cell repertoire. We used this assay to measure the temporal response of the B cell repertoire to immunosuppression after heart transplantation. We selected a subset of 12 participants from a larger prospective cohort study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01985412 that is ongoing at Stanford Medical Center and for which enrollment started in March 2010. This subset of 12 participants was selected to represent post-heart-transplant events, with and without acute rejection (six participants with moderate-to-severe rejection and six without. We analyzed 130 samples from these patients, with an average follow-up period of 15 mo. Immune repertoire sequencing enables the measurement of a patient's net state of immunosuppression (correlation with tacrolimus level, r = -0.867, 95% CI -0.968 to -0.523, p = 0.0014, as well as the diagnosis of acute allograft rejection, which is preceded by increased immune activity with a sensitivity of 71.4% (95% CI 30.3% to 94.9% and a specificity of 82.0% (95% CI 72.1% to 89.1% (cell-free donor-derived DNA as noninvasive gold standard. To illustrate the potential of immune repertoire sequencing to monitor atypical post-transplant trajectories, we analyzed two more patients, one with chronic infections and one with amyloidosis. A larger, prospective study will be needed to validate the power of immune repertoire sequencing to predict rejection events, as this proof-of-concept study is limited to a small number of patients who were selected based on several criteria including the

T2' imaging of native kidneys and renal allografts. A feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathys, C.; Blondin, D.; Wittsack, H.J.; Miese, F.R.; Rybacki, K.; Walther, C.; Holstein, A.; Lanzman, R.S.

2011-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of T2' mapping in native kidneys and renal allografts. Materials and Methods: Following approval of the local ethics committee, 24 renal allograft recipients and 10 control subjects (healthy volunteers) were included in this study. Multi-echo T2 and T2 * imaging was performed on a 1.5 Tesla scanner. Allograft recipients were assigned to two groups: group (a), 8 patients with good (glomerular filtration rate of more than 40 ml/min) allograft function and no evidence of transplant rejection, transplant renal artery stenosis or ureteral obstruction; group (b), 16 patients with deterioration of renal graft function (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 40 ml/min or less). Two different imaging protocols were tested. Results: The mean T2' relaxation parameters were 108.33 msec ± 13.34, 100.00 msec ± 18.89 and 124.57 msec ± 6.51 for groups (a), (b) and for control subjects, respectively. The reduction of T2' values in patient group (b) was not statistically significant. However, significant correlations could be demonstrated between T2' values and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of renal allograft function. The reproducibility was tested and the coefficients of variation of T2' values in the cortex of transplanted kidneys were 11.1 % within subjects and 11.3 % between subjects. Conclusion: Our results indicate that T2' imaging is a promising non-enhanced technique, which seems to reveal information on transplant function. Further studies are required to determine the clinical value of T2' mapping for monitoring renal allograft recipients. (orig.)

One-stage human acellular nerve allograft reconstruction for digital nerve defects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue-yuan Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Human acellular nerve allografts have a wide range of donor origin and can effectively avoid nerve injury in the donor area. Very little is known about one-stage reconstruction of digital nerve defects. The present study observed the feasibility and effectiveness of human acellular nerve allograft in the reconstruction of < 5-cm digital nerve defects within 6 hours after injury. A total of 15 cases of nerve injury, combined with nerve defects in 18 digits from the Department of Emergency were enrolled in this study. After debridement, digital nerves were reconstructed using human acellular nerve allografts. The patients were followed up for 6-24 months after reconstruction. Mackinnon-Dellon static two-point discrimination results showed excellent and good rates of 89%. Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test demonstrated that light touch was normal, with an obvious improvement rate of 78%. These findings confirmed that human acellular nerve allograft for one-stage reconstruction of digital nerve defect after hand injury is feasible, which provides a novel trend for peripheral nerve reconstruction.

Long-Term Memory Performance in Adult ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Skodzik, Timo; Holling, Heinz; Pedersen, Anya

2017-02-01

Memory problems are a frequently reported symptom in adult ADHD, and it is well-documented that adults with ADHD perform poorly on long-term memory tests. However, the cause of this effect is still controversial. The present meta-analysis examined underlying mechanisms that may lead to long-term memory impairments in adult ADHD. We performed separate meta-analyses of measures of memory acquisition and long-term memory using both verbal and visual memory tests. In addition, the influence of potential moderator variables was examined. Adults with ADHD performed significantly worse than controls on verbal but not on visual long-term memory and memory acquisition subtests. The long-term memory deficit was strongly statistically related to the memory acquisition deficit. In contrast, no retrieval problems were observable. Our results suggest that memory deficits in adult ADHD reflect a learning deficit induced at the stage of encoding. Implications for clinical and research settings are presented.

Osteoprotegerin predicts long-term outcome in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Sune Folke; Bjerre, Mette; Mogelvang, Rasmus

2012-01-01

: 1.03-1.59; p = 0.03), repeat myocardial infarction (HR: 1.30; CI: 1.00-1.68; p = 0.05) and admission with heart failure (HR: 1.50; CI: 1.18-1.90; p = 0.001). Conclusion: This study shows that OPG independently predicts long-term outcome in STEMI patients treated with pPCI. Eventually, this knowledge...... in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Methods: We included 716 consecutive STEMI patients admitted to a single high-volume invasive heart center from September 2006 to December 2008. Endpoints were all...

A Long-term Plan for Kalk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2017-01-01

In this case, the author demonstrates together with the owner-manager of KALK A/S, Mr Rasmus Jorgensen, how to use the Family Business Map to frame a constructive discussion about long-term planning. The Family Business Map is a tool for long-term planning in family firms developed by Professor...

Virtual Models of Long-Term Care

Science.gov (United States)

Phenice, Lillian A.; Griffore, Robert J.

2012-01-01

Nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home-care organizations, use web sites to describe their services to potential consumers. This virtual ethnographic study developed models representing how potential consumers may understand this information using data from web sites of 69 long-term-care providers. The content of long-term-care web…

Early liver allograft dysfunction: risk factors, clinical course and outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya. G. Moysyuk

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Early liver allograft dysfunction (EAD is associated with a high incidence of graft loss and patient mortality in the first 6 weeks after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT.The aim of this retrospective single-center study is to identify the risk factors of EAD and to compare the short- and long-term results in EAD and non-EAD groups.Materials and methods. The results of 213 consecutive deceased donor liver transplantations performed between December 2004 and February 2015 were included in the analysis. Indications for OLT were non-viral liver cirrhosis in 52% of cases, viral hepatitis C or B in 34 %, hepatocellular carcinoma in 8 %; retransplantations were performed in 6% of cases due to previous liver graft dysfunction. EAD was defined by Olthoff criteria (Olthoff et al., 2010.Results. Overall incidence of EAD was 41.3%, including 5.6% of primary non-function grafts (PNF, i.e. irreversible EAD. No significant differences between EAD and non-EAD groups were seen either among donors in their age, gender, cause of death, bilirubin, plasma sodium level, aminotransferases aktivity, or among the recipients in their age, gender, body mass index, MELD. Retransplantation, donor time on mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit for more than 2 days, highrisk donor category, transplant surgery duration more than 9.5 hours, and cold ischemia time (CIT > 8 hours were independent significant risk factors of EAD in a multivariate model. A 42-day mortality rates were 18.2% in EAD group (mostly due to PNF without urgent retransplantanion in 9.1%, and 0% in non-EAD group. Long-term results in EAD group were also significantly poorer: 1-, 5-, and 10-year graft survival rates were 74%, 68%, and 64%, respectively, versus 96%, 90%, and 83% in non-EAD group, Log-rank p = 0.0001.Conclusion. EAD significantly (≈ 20% decreases the short-term graft and patient survival rates. Meanwhile, a reversible EAD has no impact on long-term results

Sleep facilitates long-term face adaptation

OpenAIRE

Ditye, Thomas; Javadi, Amir Homayoun; Carbon, Claus-Christian; Walsh, Vincent

2013-01-01

Adaptation is an automatic neural mechanism supporting the optimization of visual processing on the basis of previous experiences. While the short-term effects of adaptation on behaviour and physiology have been studied extensively, perceptual long-term changes associated with adaptation are still poorly understood. Here, we show that the integration of adaptation-dependent long-term shifts in neural function is facilitated by sleep. Perceptual shifts induced by adaptation to a distorted imag...

Processing of gamma irradiated bone allografts for treatment of injuries in a nuclear scenario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Durgeshwer; Singh, Antaryami; Singh, Rita; Shah, Om

2014-01-01

Bone allografts fill an important void in the surgical practice of orthopaedic surgery, and their use to replace and reconstruct musculoskeletal structures following injury or disease has gained increasing acceptance by orthopaedic surgeons. Serious mechanical injuries in a nuclear scenario involving compression, displacement and missile hit will lead to high incidence of various kinds of bone fractures, spinal injuries and joint injuries apart from lethality, lung damage and eardrum rupture. Bone allografts can be employed for repairing fracture defects, filling in destroyed regions of bone, management of open fractures and joint injuries. Autologous bone grafts, though ideal, have the drawback of secondary surgery for autograft retrieval, complications of infection and donor site morbidity. Bone allografts eliminate additional incision necessary for acquiring an autograft and consequently reduce operating time, blood loss as well as hospital and medical costs. However, disease transmission and bacterial infection in bone allograft transplantation is of significant concern. Sterilization by gamma irradiation is a definitive method for eliminating microorganisms and can prevent life-threatening allograft associated infections. The present study was carried out with the aim of bioburden assessment, radiation sterilization and clinical evaluation of bone allografts processed from femoral heads obtained from living donors. Femoral heads were obtained during surgery at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, SN Medical College, Jodhpur and processed as freeze-dried bone allografts. Bioburden of bone allografts was found to be in the range of 2.26 to 3.59 log CFU/g. Verification dose for different batches of processing was 7.24±1.27 kGy. Radiological data of processed gamma irradiated bone grafts used in clinical cases of trauma surgery was recorded and has shown successful graft incorporation in allogenic recipients. (author)

Interaction of Left Ventricular Remodeling and Regional Dyssynchrony on Long-Term Prognosis after Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tayal, Bhupendar; Sogaard, Peter; Delgado-Montero, Antonia

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular (LV) remodeling in heart failure (HF) manifested by chamber dilatation is associated with worse clinical outcomes. However, the impact of LV dilatation on the association of measures of dyssynchrony with long-term prognosis and resynchronization potential after cardiac...... resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains unclear. METHODS: Two hundred sixty CRT patients in New York Heart Association classes II to IV, with ejection fractions ≤ 35% and QRS intervals ≥ 120 msec, were prospectively studied. Quantitative echocardiographic assessment of LV volumes and mechanical dyssynchrony...... of the baseline indexed LV end-diastolic volume (EDVI). Patients with less dilated left ventricles (EDVI left ventricles (EDVI ≥ 90 mL/m(2)) for both primary (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.20; 95% CI, 1.44-3.38; P

Prevalence of Long-Term Opioid Use in Long-Stay Nursing Home Residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunnicutt, Jacob N; Chrysanthopoulou, Stavroula A; Ulbricht, Christine M; Hume, Anne L; Tjia, Jennifer; Lapane, Kate L

2018-01-01

Overall and long-term opioid use among older adults have increased since 1999. Less is known about opioid use in older adults in nursing homes (NHs). Cross-sectional. U.S. NHs (N = 13,522). Long-stay NH resident Medicare beneficiaries with a Minimum Data Set 3.0 (MDS) assessment between April 1, 2012, and June 30, 2012, and 120 days of follow-up (N = 315,949). We used Medicare Part D claims to measure length of opioid use in the 120 days from the index assessment (short-term: ≤30 days, medium-term: >30-89 days, long-term: ≥90 days), adjuvants (e.g., anticonvulsants), and other pain medications (e.g., corticosteroids). MDS assessments in the follow-up period were used to measure nonpharmacological pain management use. Modified Poisson models were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for age, gender, race and ethnicity, cognitive and physical impairment, and long-term opioid use. Of all long-stay residents, 32.4% were prescribed any opioid, and 15.5% were prescribed opioids long-term. Opioid users (versus nonusers) were more commonly prescribed pain adjuvants (32.9% vs 14.9%), other pain medications (25.5% vs 11.0%), and nonpharmacological pain management (24.5% vs 9.3%). Long-term opioid use was higher in women (aPR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.18-1.23) and lower in racial and ethnic minorities (non-Hispanic blacks vs whites: APR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.90-0.94) and those with severe cognitive impairment (vs no or mild impairment, aPR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.79-0.83). One in seven NH residents was prescribed opioids long-term. Recent guidelines on opioid prescribing for pain recommend reducing long-term opioid use, but this is challenging in NHs because residents may not benefit from nonpharmacological and nonopioid interventions. Studies to address concerns about opioid safety and effectiveness (e.g., on pain and functional status) in NHs are needed. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics