Left ventricular free wall impeding rupture in post-myocardial infarction period diagnosed by myocardial contrast echocardiography: Case report

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular free wall rupture occurs in up to 10% of the in-hospital deaths following myocardial infarction. It is mainly associated with posterolateral myocardial infarction and its antemortem diagnosis is rarely made. Contrast echocardiography has been increasingly used for the evaluation of myocardial perfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction, with important prognostic implications. In this case, we reported its use for the detection of a mechanical complication following myocardial infarction. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old man with acute myocardial infarction in the lateral wall underwent myocardial contrast echocardiography for the evaluation of myocardial perfusion in the third day post-infarction. A perfusion defect was detected in lateral and inferior walls as well as the presence of contrast extrusion from the left ventricular cavity into the myocardium, forming a serpiginous duct extending from the endocardium to the epicardial region of the lateral wall, without communication with the pericardial space. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of impending rupture of the left ventricular free wall. While waiting for cardiac surgery, patient presented with cardiogenic shock and died. Anatomopathological findings were consistent with acute myocardial infarction in the lateral wall and a left ventricular free wall rupture at the infarct site. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the early diagnosis of left ventricular free wall rupture by contrast echocardiography. Due to its ability to be performed at bedside this modality of imaging has the potential to identify this catastrophic condition in patients with acute myocardial infarction and help to treat these patients with emergent surgery

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly

Sugarcane Bagasse Fibers for Enhancing Moisture Susceptibility Properties in Stone Mastic Asphalt

Stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mix amended with sugarcane bagasse fibers (SBFs) as a stabilizer was investigated experimentally in the present study. The SBF content in the combination mix was varied (0, 0.15%, 0.30%, 0.45% and 0.60%) to produce different mixtures. The prepared mixtures were then assessed for different properties, such as the Marshall stability, tensile strength, and draindown, which are crucial for the performance of the mix in flexible/bituminous pavements. The experimental results revealed enhanced stability and flow value, greater filling of voids in the bitumen, and reduced air voids in the prepared SMA mix amended with SBF. In addition, improvement in the tensile strength of the SMA mix amended with SBF was observed. An increase in the tensile strength ratio of the amended SMA mix was also observed. The susceptibility to the entry of moisture into the pores of the SMA mix was assessed by performing the draindown test, which revealed that the amended SMA mix exhibited reduced draindown due to the presence of SBF. Therefore, it was inferred that the inclusion of SBF into the SMA mix was beneficial for enhancing the stability and tensile strength of the mix and achieving higher resistance to moisture penetration. The present study demonstrated that the use of sugarcane bagasse as an active ingredient in the SMA mix would result in improved performance of flexible pavements while also reducing the waste burden of landfills and aiding in effective waste management

Suitable housekeeping genes for normalization of transcript abundance analysis by real-time RT-PCR in cultured bovine granulosa cells during hypoxia and differential cell plating density

BACKGROUND: Bovine granulosa cell culture models are important to understand molecular mechanisms of ovarian function. Folliculogenesis and luteinization are associated with increasing density of cells and local hypoxic conditions. The current study identified two reliable housekeeping genes useful for gene normalization in granulosa cells under different in vitro conditions. METHODS: During the current experiments cells were subjected to different biological and physical stimuli, follicle stimulating hormone, different initial cell plating density and hypoxia. Transcript abundance of seven housekeeping genes was quantified by real-time RT-PCR with co-amplification of the respective external standard. RESULTS: Three of the genes, GAPDH, HMBS, and HPRT1 were found to be regulated by initial cell plating density, five of them, GAPDH, HMBS, HPRT1, RPLP0 and RPS18 under hypoxic conditions, but none of them after FSH stimulation. In detail, GAPDH was up regulated, but HPRT1 and HMBS were down regulated at high density and under hypoxia. Expression of RPLP0 and RPS18 was inconsistent, but was significantly down-regulated in particular at high cell density combined with hypoxia. In contrast, TBP and B2M genes were neither regulated under different plating density conditions nor by hypoxia as they showed similar expression levels under all conditions analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: The present data indicate that TBP and B2M are appropriate housekeeping genes for normalization of transcript abundance measured by real-time RT-PCR in granulosa cells subjected to different plating densities, oxygen concentrations and FSH stimulation