cFFR as an alternative to FFR: please do not contrast simplicity!

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The Multi-center Evaluation of the Accuracy of the Contrast MEdium INduced Pd/Pa RaTiO in Predicting FFR (MEMENTO-FFR) Study.

AIMS: Adenosine administration is needed for the achievement of maximal hyperaemia fractional flow reserve (FFR) assessment. The objective was to test the accuracy of Pd/Pa ratio registered during submaximal hyperaemia induced by non-ionic contrast medium (contrast FFR [cFFR]) in predicting FFR and comparing it to the performance of resting Pd/Pa in a collaborative registry of 926 patients enrolled in 10 hospitals from four European countries (Italy, Spain, France and Portugal). METHODS AND RESULTS: Resting Pd/Pa, cFFR and FFR were measured in 1,026 coronary stenoses functionally evaluated using commercially available pressure wires. cFFR was obtained after intracoronary injection of contrast medium, while FFR was measured after administration of adenosine. Resting Pd/Pa and cFFR were significantly higher than FFR (0.93±0.05 vs. 0.87±0.08 vs. 0.84±0.08, p<0.001). A strong correlation and a close agreement at Bland-Altman analysis between cFFR and FFR were observed (r=0.90, p<0.001 and 95% CI of disagreement: from -0.042 to 0.11). ROC curve analysis showed an excellent accuracy (89%) of the cFFR cut-off of ≤0.85 in predicting an FFR value ≤0.80 (AUC 0.95 [95% CI: 0.94-0.96]), significantly better than that observed using resting Pd/Pa (AUC: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.88-0.91; p<0.001). A cFFR/FFR hybrid approach showed a significantly lower number of lesions requiring adenosine than a resting Pd/Pa/FFR hybrid approach (22% vs. 44%, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: cFFR is accurate in predicting the functional significance of coronary stenosis. This could allow limiting the use of adenosine to obtain FFR to a minority of stenoses with considerable savings of time and costs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A role for human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein O (gO) in cell fusion and a new hypervariable locus.

A cell fusion assay using fusion-from-without (FFWO) recombinant adenoviruses (RAds) and specific antibody showed a role in fusion modulation for glycoprotein gO, the recently identified third component of the gH/gL gCIII complex of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). As in HCMV, RAd gO expressed multiple glycosylated species with a mature product of 125 kDa. Coexpression with gH/gL RAds showed gCIII reconstitution in the absence of other HCMV products and stabilisation by intermolecular disulfide bonds. Properties of HCMV clinical isolate, Pt, also implicated gO in cell spread. Compared to laboratory strain AD169, Pt was resistant to gH antibody plaque inhibition, but mature gH was identical. However, the gO sequences were highly divergent (20%), with further variation in laboratory strain Towne gO (34%). Thus, gO forms gCIII with gH/gL, performs in cell fusion, and is a newly identified HCMV hypervariable locus which may influence gCIII's function in mediating infection

Topological Homogeneity for Electron Microscopy Images

In this paper, the concept of homogeneity is defined, from a topological perspective, in order to analyze how uniform is the material composition in 2D electron microscopy images. Topological multiresolution parameters are taken into account to obtain better results than classical techniques.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MTM2016-81030-PMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2012-37868-C04-0

Photonic band structure and symmetry properties of electromagnetic modes in photonic crystals

Within the Maxwell framework and using a transfer-matrix technique we have determined a general equation which governs the photonic band structure and the density of states of one-dimensional superlattices composed of two alternate layers characterized by different refractive indexes, which may take on positive as well as negative values. Besides the usual well-known results, we have found null-gap points for commensurate values of the optical path lengths of each layer. Furthermore, we have been able to characterize non-Bragg gaps that show up in frequency regions in which the average refractive index is null.752

Band structure and band-gap control in photonic superlattices

The photonic band structure as well as the density of photon states of a one-dimensional photonic superlattice comprised of alternate layers of air and GaAs are theoretically investigated within the transfer-matrix formalism. The existence of photonic superlattices of null gap with band-touching phenomena is demonstrated, indicating the importance of one-dimensional photonic superlattices for many important practical applications.741

Relative contribution of effects included in contemporary groups for adjusted and actual 120-day and 210-day weights in Nelore cattle in Brazil

The objective of this research was to estimate the relative magnitude of effects included in contemporary groups (CG) and their interactions with adjusted and actual 120 d and 210 d weights in 72,731 male and female Nelore calves born from 1985 to 2005 in 40 herds from PMGRN (Genetic Improvement Program of Nelore). Ten models with different CG structures were compared. The analyses were done using the general linear models (GLM) procedure run in SAS software. All of the effects included in the CG for each model were significant (p < 0.001) for the four traits analyzed. Inclusion of semester or trimester of birth as part of a CG was more appropriate than its use as an independent effect in the model because it accounted for interactions with the other effects in the CG. Calf sex (CS) and dam age at calving (DAC) had similar effects across the models, which suggested independence from other effects in these models. The corresponding age deviation effect had a larger impact on actual weight at 120 d than any other effect in all of the models tested. The use of actual weights in models with no CS effect in CG provides an alternative that would allow better genetic connectedness among CGs and greater accuracy in genetic evaluations

Rapid Diagnostic Algorithms as a Screening Tool for Tuberculosis: An Assessor Blinded Cross-Sectional Study

Background: A major obstacle to effectively treat and control tuberculosis is the absence of an accurate, rapid, and low-cost diagnostic tool. A new approach for the screening of patients for tuberculosis is the use of rapid diagnostic classification algorithms. Methods: We tested a previously published diagnostic algorithm based on four biomarkers as a screening tool for tuberculosis in a Central European patient population using an assessor-blinded cross-sectional study design. In addition, we developed an improved diagnostic classification algorithm based on a study population at a tertiary hospital in Vienna, Austria, by supervised computational statistics. Results: The diagnostic accuracy of the previously published diagnostic algorithm for our patient population consisting of 206 patients was 54% (CI: 47%–61%). An improved model was constructed using inflammation parameters and clinical information. A diagnostic accuracy of 86% (CI: 80%–90%) was demonstrated by 10-fold cross validation. An alternative model relying solely on clinical parameters exhibited a diagnostic accuracy of 85% (CI: 79%–89%). Conclusion: Here we show that a rapid diagnostic algorithm based on clinical parameters is only slightly improved by inclusion of inflammation markers in our cohort. Our results also emphasize the need for validation of new diagnostic algorithms in different settings and patient populations

Evolving a photosynthetic organelle

The evolution of plastids from cyanobacteria is believed to represent a singularity in the history of life. The enigmatic amoeba Paulinella and its 'recently' acquired photosynthetic inclusions provide a fascinating system through which to gain fresh insight into how endosymbionts become organelles