Early quantitative coronary angiography of saphenous vein grafts for coronary artery bypass grafting harvested by means of open versus endoscopic saphenectomy: a prospective randomized trial

AbstractObjectiveEndoscopic saphenectomy is associated with a decreased incidence of wound complications without an increase in histologic trauma or endothelial dysfunction in published reports. Concern remains about the patency of saphenous vein grafts harvested endoscopically and the development of early intimal hyperplasia. The purpose of this study was to compare early quantitative coronary analysis of saphenous vein grafts used for coronary artery bypass grafting harvested with the open versus endoscopic techniques.MethodsForty patients undergoing primary coronary artery bypass grafting surgery with at least 1 saphenous vein graft were randomized preoperatively to open versus endoscopic saphenectomy with bipolar cauterization of side branches. Quantitative coronary angiography was performed a mean of 3 months (range, 1-9 months) after the operation.ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference in the patency rates of internal thoracic artery grafts between the open and endoscopic groups and no statistically significant difference in the patency rates of saphenous vein grafts between both groups (85.2% vs 84.4%, P = .991). Quantitative coronary angiography showed no difference in graft stenosis (≥50% of the internal diameter of the graft) in the body of the saphenous vein grafts in the open versus endoscopic saphenectomy groups (3.7% vs 0%, P = .280).ConclusionAngiographic appearance and patency rates of saphenous vein grafts harvested with the endoscopic technique are similar to those of saphenous vein grafts harvested with the open technique. These results support the use of endoscopic saphenectomy because of the known lower incidence of wound and infectious complications and superior functional results

Metaphoric coherence: Distinguishing verbal metaphor from `anomaly\u27

Theories and computational models of metaphor comprehension generally circumvent the question of metaphor versus “anomaly” in favor of a treatment of metaphor versus literal language. Making the distinction between metaphoric and “anomalous” expressions is subject to wide variation in judgment, yet humans agree that some potentially metaphoric expressions are much more comprehensible than others. In the context of a program which interprets simple isolated sentences that are potential instances of cross‐modal and other verbal metaphor, I consider some possible coherence criteria which must be satisfied for an expression to be “conceivable” metaphorically. Metaphoric constraints on object nominals are represented as abstracted or extended along with the invariant structural components of the verb meaning in a metaphor. This approach distinguishes what is preserved in metaphoric extension from that which is “violated”, thus referring to both “similarity” and “dissimilarity” views of metaphor. The role and potential limits of represented abstracted properties and constraints is discussed as they relate to the recognition of incoherent semantic combinations and the rejection or adjustment of metaphoric interpretations

The ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectrum of gamma-pyrone; the singlet states studied by configuration interaction and density functional calculations

A synchrotron based vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectrum for γ-pyrone has been interpreted in terms of singlet excited electronic states, using a variety of coupled cluster, configuration interaction, and density functional calculations. The extremely weak spectral onset at 3.557 eV shows 8 vibrational peaks and following previous analyses is attributed to a forbidden 1A2 state. A contrasting broad peak with maximum at 5.381 eV has a relatively high cross-section of 30 Mb; this arises from three overlapping states, where a 1A1 state dominates over progressively weaker 1B2 and 1B1 states. After fitting the second band to a polynomial Gaussian function, and plotting the regular residuals (RR), over 20 vibrational peaks were revealed. We have had limited success in analyzing this fine structure. However, the small separation between these three states clearly shows that their vibrational satellites must overlap. Singlet valence and Rydberg state vibrational profiles were determined by configuration interaction using the CAM-B3LYP density functional. Vibrational analysis, using both Franck-Condon and Herzberg-Teller procedures showed that both procedures contributed to the profiles. Theoretical Rydberg states were evaluated by a highly focused CI procedure. Super-position of the lowest photoelectron spectral band on the VUV spectrum near 6.4 eV, shows that the 3s and 3p Rydberg states based on the 2B2 ionic state are present; those based on the other low-lying ionic state (X2B1) are destroyed by broadening; this is a dramatic extension of the broadening previously witnessed in our studies of halogenobenzenes.Peer reviewe

The Photoreceptor Cell-Specific Nuclear Receptor Gene (PNR ) Accounts for Retinitis Pigmentosa in the Crypto-Jews from Portugal (Marranos), Survivors from the Spanish Inquisition

The last Crypto-Jews (Marranos) are the survivors of Spanish Jews who were persecuted in the late fifteenth century, escaped to Portugal and were forced to convert to save their lives. Isolated groups still exist in mountainous areas such as Belmonte in the Beira-Baixa province of Portugal. We report here the genetic study of a highly consanguineous endogamic population of Crypto-Jews of Belmonte affected with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP). A genome-wide search for homozygosity allowed us to localize the disease gene to chromosome 15q22-q24 (Zmax=2.95 at θ=0 at the D15S131 locus). Interestingly, the photoreceptor cell-specific nuclear receptor (PNR) gene, the expression of which is restricted to the outer nuclear layer of retinal photoreceptor cells, was found to map to the YAC contig encompassing the disease locus. A search for mutations allowed us to ascribe the RP of Crypto-Jews of Belmonte to a homozygous missense mutation in the PNR gene. Preliminary haplotype studies support the view that this mutation is relatively ancient but probably occurred after the population settled in Belmonte

Monitoring of northern climate exposure

Currently, facility managers are faced with many advanced decisions regarding when and how to inspect, maintain, repair or renew existing facilities in a costeffective manner. The evolution of the deteriorations of road structures in reinforced concrete depends on the exposure of the elements to water in liquid form or vapour and to other aggressive agents such as chloride. Current models of ionic transport neglect the effect of real ionic concentration in contact with concrete structures, it means boundary conditions are considered with simple tendency as uniform concentration during the winter period and model parameters are derived from the fitting method. Therefore, it implies in ineffective prediction models of deterioration, i.e. steel rebar corrosion by chloride presence or carbonation, alkali-granular reaction, acid attacks, etc. Structure are sensitive to their environment and their interaction with it is directly related to the processes of deterioration. The degradation of structures exposed to salt-laden mist is faster in the wetter areas. On the contrary, the deterioration of the structures caused by salt spray in the drier zone is slower. The structures, exposed to splashing (precipitation, wind, splash, etc.), have a slower rate of degradation in the wetter regions. The amount of rain has an indirect effect in the process of deterioration of the structure exposed to salt-laden mist because it changes the contact time of chloride on the surface of the structures. For this purpose, a unique exposure monitoring was developed. This mobile station, named MExStUL, contains an atmospheric sensor and new possibilities of chloride detection contained in splashes, mist and static water near the road improving the real exposure of structure and the boundary conditions. First results highlight the real influence of environmental parameters on structures durability on highways. Salt concentration is not uniform during winter period and water thickness demonstrate important periods of drying

Rocking Promotes Sleep in Mice through Rhythmic Stimulation of the Vestibular System.

Rocking has long been known to promote sleep in infants and, more recently, also in adults, increasing NREM sleep stage N2 and enhancing EEG slow waves and spindles. Nevertheless, whether rocking also promotes sleep in other species, and what the underlying mechanisms are, has yet to be explored. In the current study, C57BL/6J mice equipped with EEG and EMG electrodes were rocked laterally during their main sleep period, i.e., the 12-h light phase. We observed that rocking affected sleep in mice with a faster optimal rate than in humans (1.0 versus 0.25 Hz). Specifically, rocking mice at 1.0 Hz increased time spent in NREM sleep through the shortening of wake episodes and accelerated sleep onset. Although rocking did not increase EEG activity in the slow-wave and spindle-frequency ranges in mice, EEG theta activity (6-10 Hz) during active wakefulness shifted toward slower frequencies. To test the hypothesis that the rocking effects are mediated through the vestibular system, we used the otoconia-deficient tilted (tlt) mouse, which cannot encode linear acceleration. Mice homozygous for the tlt mutation were insensitive to rocking at 1.0 Hz, while the sleep and EEG response of their heterozygous and wild-type littermates resembled those of C57BL/6J mice. Our findings demonstrate that rocking also promotes sleep in the mouse and that this effect requires input from functional otolithic organs of the vestibule. Our observations also demonstrate that the maximum linear acceleration applied, and not the rocking rate per se, is key in mediating the effects of rocking on sleep

Nanoethics, science communication, and a fourth model for public engagement

This paper develops a fourth model of public engagement with science, grounded in the principle of nurturing scientific agency through online participatory bioethics. It argues that social media is an effective device through which to enable such engagement, as it has the capacity to empower users and transforms audiences into co-producers of knowledge, rather than consumers of content, the value of which is recognised within the citizen science movement. Social media also fosters greater engagement with the political and legal implications of science, thus promoting the value of scientific citizenship through the acquisition of science capital. This argument is explored by considering the case of nanoscience and nanotechnology, as an exemplar for how emerging technologies may be handled by the scientific community and science policy makers, and as a technology that has defined a second era of science communication

Endothelial repair in stented arteries is accelerated by inhibition of Rho-associated protein kinase.

AIMS: Stent deployment causes endothelial cell (EC) denudation, which promotes in-stent restenosis and thrombosis. Thus endothelial regrowth in stented arteries is an important therapeutic goal. Stent struts modify local hemodynamics, however the effects of flow pertubation on EC injury and repair are incompletely understood. By studying the effects of stent struts on flow and EC migration we identified an intervention that promotes endothelial repair in stented arteries. METHODS AND RESULTS: In vitro and in vivo models were developed to monitor endothelialization under flow and the influence of stent struts. A 2D parallel-plate flow chamber with 100 μm ridges arranged perpendicular to the flow was used. Live cell imaging coupled to computational fluid dynamic simulations revealed that EC migrate in the direction of flow upstream from the ridges but subsequently accumulate downstream from ridges at sites of bidirectional flow. The mechanism of EC trapping by bidirectional flow involved reduced migratory polarity associated with altered actin dynamics. Inhibition of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) enhanced endothelialization of ridged surfaces by promoting migratory polarity under bidirectional flow (p<0.01). To more closely mimic the in vivo situation we cultured EC on the inner surface of polydimethylsiloxane tubing containing Coroflex Blue stents (65 μm struts) and monitored migration. ROCK inhibition significantly enhanced EC accumulation downstream from struts under flow (p<0.05). We investigated the effects of ROCK inhibition on re-endothelialization in vivo using a porcine model of EC denudation and stent placement. En face staining and confocal microscopy revealed that inhibition of ROCK using fasudil (30 mg/day via osmotic minipump) significantly increased re-endothelialization of stented carotid arteries (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Stent struts delay endothelial repair by generating localised bidirectional flow which traps migrating EC. ROCK inhibitors accelerate endothelial repair of stented arteries by enhancing EC polarity and migration through regions of bidirectional flow

Esophageal Granular Cell Tumor and Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Two Interesting Entities Identified in the Same Patient

We illustrate the case of a 41-year-old male with allergic manifestations since childhood. He sought medical attention for intermittent, progressive dysphagia from which he had been suffering for a number of years, having felt the sensation of a retrosternal lump and a self-limited obstruction to the passage of food. Endoscopy detected a submucosal tumor in the upper third of the esophagus, which was typified, via biopsy, as a granular cell tumor with benign characteristics and probably responsible for the symptoms. Two years later, the patient sought medical attention once again as these symptoms had not abated, hence digestive endoscopy was repeated. This revealed stenosis of the junction between the middle and lower thirds of the organ which had not been detected previously but was passable under gentle pressure. Eosinophilic esophagitis was detected after biopsies were taken. Esophageal manometry identified a motor disorder affecting the esophageal body. Following three months of treatment using fluticasone propionate applied topically, the symptoms went into remission, esophageal stenosis disappeared and the esophageal biopsies returned to normal. This is the first documented case of the link between granular cell tumors and Eosinophilic esophagitis, two different disorders which could cause dysphagia in young patients