Improved Outcomes of Combined Main Branch Stenting and Side Branch Drug-Coated Balloon versus Two-Stent Strategy in Patients with Left Main Bifurcation Lesions.

BACKGROUND: Drug-eluting stent (DES) plus drug-coated balloon (DCB) is a safe and effective treatment strategy for coronary artery bifurcation lesions, but there is no report about this strategy being used for left main (LM) bifurcation lesions. We aim to explore the efficacy and safety of DES plus DCB in the treatment of LM bifurcation lesions. METHODS: A total of 100 patients diagnosed with LM bifurcation lesions by coronary angiography were retrospectively enrolled at our center from January 2018 to December 2019. They received either a two-stent strategy or a main branch (MB) stenting plus side branch (SB) DCB strategy and were accordingly divided into the 2-DES group and the DES + DCB group. Patients treated with DES + DCB were compared with a cohort of matched patients treated with a 2-DES strategy. Clinical data was collected and quantitative coronary analysis was performed. RESULTS: For immediate postoperative angiography, though the two groups had no differences in the minimal luminal diameter (MLD) and luminal stenosis of MB, the DES + DCB group had significantly lower SB ostial MLD and a higher degree of residual lumen stenosis than the 2-DES group (P < 0.05). At the time of follow-up, the SB ostial MLD of the DES + DCB group was higher than that of the 2-DES group, but lumen stenosis, late lumen loss (LLL), and LLL at the distal end of the left MB were all smaller than those of the 2-DES group (Ps < 0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of lumen restenosis and MACE between the two groups had no significance. CONCLUSION: The combination of DES and DCB is relatively safe and effective for the treatment of LM bifurcation lesions, and this strategy seems to have advantages in reducing LLL at the SB ostium.

Detection of the 23-bp nucleotide sequence mutation in retinoid acid receptor related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) gene and its effect on sheep litter size.

Retinoid acid receptor related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) transcribes steroid-related genes to regulate estrogen synthesis. As an important reproductive trait, litter size relates to estrogen synthesis. Therefore, it is important to investigate the association between RORA gene and sheep litter size. In this study, one 23-bp nucleotide sequence mutation was identified in intron 1 of RORA gene in 532 female Australian White Sheep. Moreover, the polymorphic information content (PIC) values of this locus was 0.219. The litter size of ID genotype was significantly better than II genotype and DD genotype in the second born litter size (p < 0.05). This loci was related to third born litter size and the ID is the dominant genotype (p < 0.05). The association between combined genotypes and average litter size showed that sheep with heterozygote (ID) genotypes had larger lamb than homozygous (DD and II) genotypes. To sum, this study provided theoretical references for the comprehensively research of the function of RORA gene and the breeding of Australian White Sheep. The 23-bp indel variants could be considered as molecular markers for the second and third born litter size of sheep for MAS breeding.

Novel indel variations of the sheep FecB gene and their effects on litter size.

Various studies had shown that the FecB gene (also known as BMPRIB, BMPR1B or ALK-6) was the major gene influencing sheep litter size, for which its SNPs' variations were reportedly linked. Yet, surprisingly, there was no published information on the insertion/deletion (indel) variation of this gene. Herein, using a population of Chinese Australian White sheep (n = 932), we identified five novel indels in the different introns of the FecB gene. Among them, the 12-bp indel was distinguished as a splicing region variation that was completely linked to the 17-bp indel. Analysis of variance revealed that only the 10-bp indel was significantly associated with sheep litter size (P = 0.010), for which the deletion/deletion (DD) genotype was the harmful one for fecundity. Nevertheless, the combined genotypes of these five indels were significantly (P = 0.033) correlated with the litter size. These findings would provide fresh insight into developing a sounder basis to accelerate molecular breeding in sheep via DNA markers in a marker-assisted selection strategy.