Evaluation of the Appropriate Root Pressure for Maintaining Heartbeat during an Aortic Cross-clamp for Primary Repair of the Aortic Arch in Premature Infants with Associated Cardiac Anomalies

We developed a new cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) method to minimize myocardial damage during aortic arch reconstruction. In this method, coronary flow and heartbeat were stabilized by maintaining the aortic root pressure with an adjusted preload of the ventricle during aortic cross-clamping. This study was performed to determine the appropriate root pressure to maintain the heartbeat without causing deterioration of ventricular function. Study 1. Under partial CPB, the ascending aorta was cross-clamped in 6 pigs (group 1). Experimental data at various systolic aortic root pressures was analysed to determine the appropriate root pressure. Study 2. In group 2 (control, n＝6), the aorta was not clamped, while in group 3 (n＝6), the aorta was cross-clamped for 60 min and the systolic aortic root pressure was maintained at the pressure determined in study 1. Study 1. The diastolic coronary flow was stabilized at values comparable to that before initiation of CPB (6.6±1.4ml/beat) when the systolic aortic root pressure was above 80mmHg. Intracardiac pressure and the myocardial oxygen consumption (MvO2) seemed to be acceptable when the systolic aortic root pressure was below 100mmHg. Therefore, 90mmHg was selected for study 2. Study 2. Perioperative cardiac function did not differ between the groups. We concluded that 90mmHg was the systolic aortic root pressure appropriate for this method

Efficacy of MCI-186, a free-radical scavenger and antioxidant, for resuscitation of nonbeating donor hearts

ObjectiveOxygen-derived free radicals are responsible in part for reperfusion injury in globally ischemic myocardium. In this study, the efficacy for resuscitation of nonbeating donor hearts of MCI-186, a free-radical scavenger and antioxidant, was investigated in a pig transplantation model.MethodsCardiac arrest was induced by asphyxiation. After 30 minutes of global ischemia, the hearts were excised and immediately reperfused from the aortic root with normoxemic blood cardioplegia (Po2 100 mm Hg) for 20 minutes, followed by perfusion with hyperoxemic blood (Po2 300 mm Hg). MCI-186 (3 mg/kg) was administered into the aortic root for the first 30 minutes of reperfusion in the treated group (n = 6), and untreated hearts were used as a control group (n = 6). Transplantation was performed with the heart beating.ResultsPosttransplantation recovery of cardiac output, end-systolic pressure–volume ratio, and first derivative of pressure of the left ventricle in the treated group were significantly better than those in the control group. The coronary sinus–aortic root difference in malondialdehyde levels remained low throughout reperfusion in the treated group but abruptly increased after initiation of oxygenated blood perfusion in the control group. The MCI-186–treated hearts showed low degree of edema and well-preserved ultrastructure with normal-appearing organelles, whereas the untreated hearts had marked swelling of mitochondria and scant glycogen granules.ConclusionMCI-186 exerts a cardioprotective action at least partly by inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Antioxidant therapy at the initial reperfusion is essential to successful resuscitation of nonbeating hearts by continuous myocardial perfusion

In Vivo Function and Evolution of the Eutherian-Specific Pluripotency Marker UTF1

Embryogenesis in placental mammals is sustained by exquisite interplay between the embryo proper and placenta. UTF1 is a developmentally regulated gene expressed in both cell lineages. Here, we analyzed the consequence of loss of the UTF1 gene during mouse development. We found that homozygous UTF1 mutant newborn mice were significantly smaller than wild-type or heterozygous mutant mice, suggesting that placental insufficiency caused by the loss of UTF1 expression in extra-embryonic ectodermal cells at least in part contributed to this phenotype. We also found that the effects of loss of UTF1 expression in embryonic stem cells on their pluripotency were very subtle. Genome structure and sequence comparisons revealed that the UTF1 gene exists only in placental mammals. Our analyses of a family of genes with homology to UTF1 revealed a possible mechanism by which placental mammals have evolved the UTF1 genes.This study was supported in part by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and mostly by the Support Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities, 2008–2012. This study was performed as a part of the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) Agency. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Preparation of platinized strontium titanate covered with hollow silica and its activity for overall water splitting in a novel phase-boundary photocatalytic system

Platinum-loaded strontium titanate (Pt-SrTiO3) (core) -silica (shell) powder was prepared by double-layer winding of a carbon and a silica layer on Pt-SrTiO3 followed by heat treatment to remove the carbon layer. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation and analyses of the BET surface area suggested that the powder has a void space between Pt-SrTiO3 (core) and silica (shell). When the surface of the powder was partially modified with a fluoroalkylsilylation agent, thus-obtained material assembled at a gas?water interface and acted as a photocatalyst for overall water splitting to produce hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). Probably due to the suppression of a backward reaction, production of water from H2 and O2, on the platinum, the overall efficiency of this system was higher than that of the conventional suspension system. Moreover, while the Pt-SrTiO3 powders directly covered with fluoroalkylethylsilyl groups showed low photostability, i.e., prolonged irradiation precipitated some of the surface-modified particles in water owing to photocatalytic decomposition of surface fluoroalkylethylsilyl groups, this material could retain its location at the phase boundary

Oxidation of hydrophobic alcohols using aqueous hydrogen peroxide over amphiphilic silica particles loaded with titanium(IV) oxide as a liquid-liquid phase-boundary catalyst

Phase-boundary catalysis (PBC), a new concept of a heterogeneous catalytic system for oxidation of various hydrophobic alcohols with aqueous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), has been investigated. A part the external surface of silica (SiO2) particles loaded with titanium(IV) oxides was modified with hydrophobic alkyl groups to obtain amphiphilic particles, having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces on each particle. The amphiphilic particles were spontaneously assembled at interfaces between dual phase mixtures of aqueous solutions and water-immiscible organic compounds. Upon addition to a dual phase mixture of aqueous H2O2 and toluene-containing hydrophobic alcohols, these particles acted as an efficient catalyst for the reaction, to produce corresponding aldehydes and ketones selectively. Notable features of the PBC system are that the oxidation proceeds even without agitation and that only a few percent of titanium species was detected as dissolved species. Productions of aldehydes and ketones were also observed when titanium loaded SiO2 without modification with alkyl groups was employed for the reaction. However, a large amount of titanium loaded on the material was leached during the reaction. These results indicate that surface-covered alkyl groups not only bring about effective contact with hydrophobic alcohols in the organic phase but also give stability against leaching, leading to heterogeneous catalytic functions

DAMPING-INSENSITIVE MASS MEASUREMENT USING A DAMPED DYNAMIC VIBRATION ABSORBER

ABSTRACT