Angiographic quantification of aortic regurgitation following myval octacor implantation; independent core lab adjudication.

BACKGROUND: The balloon expandable Myval transcatheter heart valve (THV) showed encouraging results regarding residual aortic regurgitation (AR) from multiple observational studies. The newly designed Myval Octacor has been introduced recently, aiming for a reduction in AR and improved performance. OBJECTIVES: The focus of this study is to report the incidence of AR using the validated quantitative Videodensitometry angiography technology (qLVOT-AR%) in the first in human use of the Myval Octacor THV system. METHODOLOGY: We report on the first in human use of the Myval Octacor THV system in 125 patients in 18 Indian centres. Independent retrospective analysis of the final aortograms following implantation of the Myval Octacor was performed using the CAAS-A-Valve software. AR is reported as a regurgitation fraction. The previously validated cutoff values have been used to identify ≥moderate AR (RF% >17%), mild (6% < RF% ≤17%), and none or trace AR (RF% ≤ 6%). RESULTS: Final aortogram was analysable for 103 patients (84.4%) among the 122 available aortograms. 64 (62%) patients, had tricuspid aortic valve (TAV), 38 (37%) with bicuspid AV (BAV), and one with unicuspid AV. The median absolute RF% was 2% [1, 6], moderate or more AR incidence was 1.9%, mild AR in 20.4%, and none or trace AR in 77.7%. The two cases with RF% >17% were in the BAV group. CONCLUSION: The initial results of Myval Octacor using quantitative angiography-derived regurgitation fraction demonstrated a favourable outcome regarding residual AR, possibly due to improved device design. Results must be confirmed in a larger randomised study, including other imaging modalities.

Characterization of a putative ribosome binding site at the 5' untranslated region of bovine heat shock protein 90.

Untranslated regions (UTRs) of the transcripts play significant roles in translation regulation and continue to raise many intriguing questions in our understanding of cellular stress physiology. Internal ribosome entry site (IRES) mediated alternative translation initiations are emerging as unique mechanisms. Present study is aimed to indentify a functional short 92 base pair length putative sequence located at the 5' untranslated region of bovine heat shock protein 90 AA1 (Hsp90AA1) may interact with ribosomal as well as eukaryotic initiation factor binding site. Here we have predicted both the two and three dimensional structures of bovine Hsp90AA1 IRES (MF400854) element with their respective free energy. Molecular interactions between bovine RPS5 and IRES have been determined after the preparation of docking complex of IRES bound RPS5. Structure of bovine ribosomal translational initiation factor (TIF) has also been determined and docked with IRES. Molecular interaction between bovine TIF and IRES was analyzed from the complex structure. We further detected the relative expression efficiency of the viral (original) in relation with Hsp90AA1 IRES-driven GFP expression, which revealed that efficiency under the control of identified bovine Hsp90AA1 IRES was slightly lower than viral origin. It was also noted that identified bovine HSP90 IRES may increase the expression level of GFP under in vitro heat stressed condition.

Metamaterial-plasma based hyperbolic material for sensor, detector and switching application at microwave region.

Superconductor-plasma based hyperbolic material (SPHM) and meta-material-plasma based hyperbolic materials (MPHM) are the plasma based composite hyperbolic materials. Using the effective medium theory, the permittivity of SPHM and MPHM has been investigated. Perpendicular and parallel permittivities, real and imaginary part, versus normalized frequency have been analyzed with variation of filling fraction of composite hyperbolic material. The optical properties of one-dimensional ternary periodic structure (1DTPS) containing Si, SiO2 and SPHM or MPHM have been studied using the well-known simple transfer matrix method and Bloch's function. The absorption spectra of 1DTPS containing plasma based hyperbolic material have been analyzed with the variation of incident angle, electron collision frequency of plasma and filling fraction of the composite materials. By studying absorption property of 1DTPS, the absorption spectra of MPHM were found to yield better results compared to the absorption spectra of SPHM. The calculations reveal that meta-material-plasma based hyperbolic material may be used to design the sensor, detector and switching applications at microwave region.

Genetic regulation of IL1RL1 methylation and IL1RL1-a protein levels in asthma.

Interleukin-1 receptor-like 1 (IL1RL1) is an important asthma gene. (Epi)genetic regulation of IL1RL1 protein expression has not been established. We assessed the association between IL1RL1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), IL1RL1 methylation and serum IL1RL1-a protein levels, and aimed to identify causal pathways in asthma.Associations of IL1RL1 SNPs with asthma were determined in the Dutch Asthma Genome-wide Association Study cohort and three European birth cohorts, BAMSE (Children/Barn, Allergy, Milieu, Stockholm, an Epidemiological survey), INMA (Infancia y Medio Ambiente) and PIAMA (Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy), participating in the Mechanisms of the Development of Allergy study. We performed blood DNA IL1RL1 methylation quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis (n=496) and (epi)genome-wide protein QTL analysis on serum IL1RL1-a levels (n=1462). We investigated the association of IL1RL1 CpG methylation with asthma (n=632) and IL1RL1-a levels (n=548), with subsequent causal inference testing. Finally, we determined the association of IL1RL1-a levels with asthma and its clinical characteristics (n=1101).IL1RL1 asthma-risk SNPs strongly associated with IL1RL1 methylation (rs1420101; p=3.7×10-16) and serum IL1RL1-a levels (p=2.8×10-56). IL1RL1 methylation was not associated with asthma or IL1RL1-a levels. IL1RL1-a levels negatively correlated with blood eosinophil counts, whereas there was no association between IL1RL1-a levels and asthma.In conclusion, asthma-associated IL1RL1 SNPs strongly regulate IL1RL1 methylation and serum IL1RL1-a levels, yet neither these IL1RL1-methylation CpG sites nor IL1RL1-a levels are associated with asthma.

Gray Platelet Syndrome in a Somalian family.

The Gray Platelet Syndrome (GPS) is a rare inherited, hypogranular platelet disorder characterized by virtual absence of alpha granules in bone marrow megakaryocytes and circulating plates. Usually only one member of a family is affected, but families with two or more affected individuals have been reported from France, Australia, and Mexico, and, recently, the United States. The current study has evaluated the first family from East Africa with two affected members, a brother and sister. Neither child has had significant bleeding problems. Electron microscopic studies revealed almost complete absence of alpha granules from their platelets. Instead their platelets were filled with vacuoles similar in size to the missing granules. Dense bodies were normal in number in the girl's platelets, but markedly increased in her brother's cells. Tannic acid staining revealed that very few of the vacuoles were connected to channels of the open canalicular system. As a result, contents of the residual alpha granule vacuoles must leak out of the organelles and diffuse through megakaryocyte and platelet cytoplasm to the outside. The route of escape may differ from other hypogranular platelet syndromes, such as alpha-delta platelet storage pool deficiency.