Isolated Double-Chambered Right Ventricle in a Young Adult

Double-chambered right ventricle (DCRV) is a rare congenital heart disorder in which the right ventricle is divided by an anomalous muscle bundle into a high pressure inlet portion and a low pressure outlet portion. We report a case of isolated DCRV without symptoms in adulthood, diagnosed through echocardiography, cardiac catheterization and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

Impact of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol on progression of aortic valve sclerosis and stenosis

BackgroundLittle research has been assessed atherosclerotic risk factors at various stages of calcific aortic valve disease. This study sought to determine risk factors of patients with aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) and mild to moderate aortic stenosis (AS).MethodsThe study included 1,007 patients diagnosed with AVS or mild to moderate AS according to echocardiographic criteria. Patients were identified as a rapid progression group if the annualized difference in peak aortic jet velocity (Vmax) between two echocardiographic examinations was >0.08 m/s/yr in AVS and >0.3 m/s/yr in AS, respectively. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess the factors associated with rapid disease progression or progression to severe AS.ResultsAmong 526 AVS patients, higher LDL-C level (odds ratio [OR] 1.22/per 25 mg/dl higher LDL-C, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05–1.43) was significantly associated with rapid disease progression. Compared to patients with LDL-C level <70 mg/dl, the adjusted OR for rapid progression were 1.32, 2.15, and 2.98 for those with LDL-C level of 70–95 mg/dl, 95–120 mg/dl, and ≥120 mg/dl, respectively. Among 481 mild to moderate AS patients, the baseline Vmax (OR 1.79/per 0.5 m/s higher Vmax, 95% CI 1.18–2.70) was associated with rapid progression. Compared to patients with Vmax 2.0–2.5 m/s, the adjusted OR for rapid progression were 2.47, 2.78, and 3.49 for those with Vmax of 2.5–3.0 m/s, 3.0–3.5 m/s, and 3.5–4.0 m/s, respectively. LDL-C and baseline Vmax values were independently associated with progression to severe AS.ConclusionAtherosclerotic risk factors such as LDL-C were significantly associated with the rapid progression in AVS and baseline Vmax was important in the stage of mild to moderate AS

Isolated Double-Chambered Right Ventricle in a Young Adult

Double-chambered right ventricle (DCRV) is a rare congenital heart disorder in which the right ventricle is divided by an anomalous muscle bundle into a high pressure inlet portion and a low pressure outlet portion. We report a case of isolated DCRV without symptoms in adulthood, diagnosed through echocardiography, cardiac catheterization and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

Genetic Traceability of Black Pig Meats Using Microsatellite Markers

Pork from Jeju black pig (population J) and Berkshire (population B) has a unique market share in Korea because of their high meat quality. Due to the high demand of this pork, traceability of the pork to its origin is becoming an important part of the consumer demand. To examine the feasibility of such a system, we aim to provide basic genetic information of the two black pig populations and assess the possibility of genetically distinguishing between the two breeds. Muscle samples were collected from slaughter houses in Jeju Island and Namwon, Chonbuk province, Korea, for populations J and B, respectively. In total 800 Jeju black pigs and 351 Berkshires were genotyped at thirteen microsatellite (MS) markers. Analyses on the genetic diversity of the two populations were carried out in the programs MS toolkit and FSTAT. The population structure of the two breeds was determined by a Bayesian clustering method implemented in structure and by a phylogenetic analysis in Phylip. Population J exhibited higher mean number of alleles, expected heterozygosity and observed heterozygosity value, and polymorphism information content, compared to population B. The FIS values of population J and population B were 0.03 and −0.005, respectively, indicating that little or no inbreeding has occurred. In addition, genetic structure analysis revealed the possibility of gene flow from population B to population J. The expected probability of identify value of the 13 MS markers was 9.87×10−14 in population J, 3.17×10−9 in population B, and 1.03×10−12 in the two populations. The results of this study are useful in distinguishing between the two black pig breeds and can be used as a foundation for further development of DNA markers

Nanocrystallization of Vanadium Borophosphate Glass for Improving the Electrical and Catalytic Properties

75V2O5-10P2O5-15B2O3 ternary-system glasses were prepared and nanocrystallized to examine the catalytic effect and the variations in their structural and electrical properties. These glasses were annealed in a graphite mold above the glass transition temperature for 2 h and heat-treated at the crystallization temperature for 1, 3, and 5 h. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to analyze the structural changes in the B-O bonds after nanocrystallization, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed a decrease in V5+ and an increase in V4+. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the structure array (BO3 + V2O5  ↔ BO4 + 2VO2) verified these inferred changes. Structural changes induced by the heat treatment were confirmed by analyzing the molecular volume determined from the sample density. Conductivity and catalytic effects were discussed based on the migration of vanadate ions with different valence states due to the increase in VO2 nanocrystallinity at 275°C. Both conductance and the catalytic effect were higher after nanocrystallization at 275°C for 1 h compared to the annealed sample. Furthermore, compared to the sample heat-treated for 1 h, the conductance and catalytic effect were increased and decreased, respectively, for samples nanocrystallized at 275°C for 3 and 5 h

Nanocrystallization of Vanadium Borophosphate Glass for Improving the Electrical and Catalytic Properties

2 O 3 ternary-system glasses were prepared and nanocrystallized to examine the catalytic effect and the variations in their structural and electrical properties. These glasses were annealed in a graphite mold above the glass transition temperature for 2 h and heat-treated at the crystallization temperature for 1, 3, and 5 h. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to analyze the structural changes in the B-O bonds after nanocrystallization, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed a decrease in V 5+ and an increase in V 4+ . X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the structure array (BO 3 + V 2 O 5 ↔ BO 4 + 2VO 2 ) verified these inferred changes. Structural changes induced by the heat treatment were confirmed by analyzing the molecular volume determined from the sample density. Conductivity and catalytic effects were discussed based on the migration of vanadate ions with different valence states due to the increase in VO 2 nanocrystallinity at 275 ∘ C. Both conductance and the catalytic effect were higher after nanocrystallization at 275 ∘ C for 1 h compared to the annealed sample. Furthermore, compared to the sample heat-treated for 1 h, the conductance and catalytic effect were increased and decreased, respectively, for samples nanocrystallized at 275 ∘ C for 3 and 5 h