Feasibility and accuracy of 64-row MDCT coronary imaging from a centre with early experience : a review and comparison with established centres

Ong K., Chin SP., Chan WL., Liew CK., Seyfarth MT., Liew HB., Rapaee A., Sim KH

Schottky barrier height in germanide/Ge contacts and its engineering through germanidation induced dopant segregation

10.1109/IWJT.2007.4279954Extended Abstracts of the 7th International Workshop on Junction Technology, IWJT 200781-8

Structural and electrical properties of tantalum nitride thin films fabricated by using reactive radio-frequency magnetron sputtering

Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing732229-236APAM

Material and electrical characterization of Ni- And Pt-germanides for p-channel germanium Schottky source/drain transistors

Extended Abstracts of the Sixth International Workshop on Junction Technology, IWJT '06164-16

Protective effect of lectin from Synadenium carinatum on Leishmania amazonensis infection in BALB/c mice

The protective effect of the Synadenium carinatum latex lectin (ScLL), and the possibility of using it as an adjuvant in murine model of vaccination against American cutaneous leishmaniasis, were evaluated. BALB/c mice were immunized with the lectin ScLL (10, 50, 100 µg/animal) separately or in association with the soluble Leishmania amazonensis antigen (SLA). After a challenge infection with 106 promastigotes, the injury progression was monitored weekly by measuring the footpad swelling for 10 weeks. ScLL appeared to be capable of conferring partial protection to the animals, being most evident when ScLL was used in concentrations of 50 and 100 µg/animal. Also the parasite load in the interior of macrophages showed significant reduction (61.7%) when compared to the control group. With regard to the cellular response, ScLL 50 and 100 µg/animal stimulated the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction significantly (P < 0.05) higher than SLA or SLA plus ScLL 10 weeks after the challenge infection. The detection of high levels of IgG2a and the expression of mRNA cytokines, such as IFN-γ, IL-12, and TNF-α (Th1 profiles), corroborated the protective role of this lectin against cutaneous leishmaniasis. This is the first report of the ScLL effect on leishmaniasis and shows a promising role for ScLL to be explored in other experimental models for treatment of leishmaniasis

Impact of age on the comparison between short-term vs 12-month dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome treated with the COMBO dual therapy stent: 2-Year follow-up results of the REDUCE trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The impact of advanced age on the optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary revascularization (PCI) is still greatly debated. Therefore, the aim of the present sub-analysis of the REDUCE trial was to assess the impact of age on the comparison between a short 3 months vs standard 12 months DAPT in ACS patients treated with the COMBO Dual Stent Therapy. METHODS: The REDUCE trial is a prospective, multicenter, investigator-initiated study that randomized ACS patients undergoing PCI with the COMBO drug eluting stent to either 3 or 12 months of DAPT. The study population was divided according to age (<or ≥ 75 years). Primary study endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, definite/probable stent thrombosis (ST), stroke, target-vessel revascularization (TVR) and bleeding (BARC II, III, V) at 12 months. Secondary endpoints were cardiovascular mortality and the individual components of the primary endpoint within 24 months. RESULTS: From June 2014 to May 2016, 1496 patients were included in the study, of whom 205 (13.7%) ≥75 years of age. Among them, 50.7% of the elderly and 50.2% of younger patients were assigned to the 3-month DAPT treatment. Baseline characteristics were well matched between the two arms, except for a higher rate of males (p=0.02) and a reduced number of lesions on the right coronary artery (p=0.02) in elderly patients treated for the short DAPT duration. Median follow-up was 682.5 days [IQR:667-731]. At 12 months, no difference in the primary endpoint was observed according to DAPT duration in both patients aged ≥75 years (22.1% vs 18.8%, HR [95%CI] = 1.6 [0.73-3.5], p=0.24) and younger ones (9.7% vs 10.9%, HR [95%CI] = 0.85 [0.59-1.27], p=0.44; p INT = 0.15). Results were confirmed after correction for baseline differences among the elderly (adjusted HR [95%CI] = 1.7 [0.75-3.9], p=0.21). Comparable rates of survival, thrombotic (MI, stent thrombosis, TVR, stroke) and bleeding events were observed with the two DAPT strategies, with no impact of age. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that among ACS patients randomized in the REDUCE trial, a 3-month DAPT strategy was comparable to a standard 12-month DAPT at a 2-year follow-up for both ischemic and bleeding endpoints, in elderly and younger patients. Thus, despite presenting the limitations of a subgroup analysis, our study strengthens the feasibility of a shorter DAPT duration even among high-risk subsets of ACS patients