Prevalence of blood type A and risk of vascular complications following transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Objectives

To assess the prevalence of blood type A among patients referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and whether it is related to vascular complications.

Backgrounds

Vascular complications following TAVI are associated with adverse outcomes. Various blood types, particularly type A, have been shown to be more prevalent in cardiovascular diseases and to be related to prognosis.

Methods

The prevalence of various blood types in a cohort of 491 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI was compared with a control group of 6500 consecutive hospitalised patients. The prevalence and predictors of vascular complications and bleeding events were evaluated in the blood type A group and were compared with non-type A patients.

Results

The mean age of TAVI patients was 83?±?6 years, and 40?% were males. Patients were divided into two groups: blood type A (n?=?220) and non-type A (n?=?271). Type A was significantly more prevalent in the TAVI group than in the control group (45 vs. 38?%, p?=?0.023). Compared with the non-type A group, patients with blood type A had more major and fatal bleeding (14.5 vs. 8.1?%, p?=?0.027) and more vascular complications (any vascular complication: 24.5 vs. 15.9?% p?=?0.016; major vascular complications: 12.3 vs. 7?% p?=?0.047). In a multivariable analysis, blood type A emerged as a significant and independent predictor for vascular complications and bleeding events.

Conclusions

Blood type A is significantly more prevalent in TAVI patients than in the general population and is related to higher rates of vascular and bleeding complications.

     

Efficiency of single-sire mating programs with beef bulls mated to estrus synchronized females

Efficiency in reference to pregnancy rates of breeding beef bulls with estrus synchronized cows and heifers was tested. Most bulls (104 of 112) were given a breeding soundness examination and two 10-min libido/serving capacity tests. Females received either Syncro-Mate-B (SMB) or two injections of Prostaglandin F(2)alpha (PGF) to synchronize estrus. They were assigned to single-sire breeding groups with bull-to-female ratios ranging from 1:7 to 1:51. Control groups consisted of untreated females maintained in single-sire breeding pastures with ratios from 1:24 to 1:37. Continuous observations of sexual activity were made for 30 h (SMB) and 48 h (PGF). After the 120-h posttreatment breeding period, females were placed in breeding pastures. During the synchronized breeding period the percentage of pregnant cattle of total treated was 43.5 +/- 1.7% compared (P < 0.01) with 58.9 +/- 3.3% for the control group after 23 d of breeding. At end of 28-d (treated) and 46-d (control) period, the percentage of pregnant females was 75.0 +/- 2.4 and 79.6 +/- 4.7, respectively (P > 0.05). In SMB trials, the percentages of females exhibiting estrus, those serviced at estrus and those pregnant following service during the synchronized breeding period were 90.8 +/- 1.5, 73.3 +/- 4.5 and 56.4 +/- 5.6%, respectively. In PGF trials, the means for these same factors were 78.3 +/- 2.4, 70.4 +/- 5.9 and 56.1 +/- 6.5%, respectively.     

Effects of salinity and varying boron concentrations on boron uptake and growth of wheat

Summary Two sandculture experiments were conducted with wheat (Triticum aestivum) to determine the effects of (1) osmotic potential (Ψ_π) and (2) fluctuating boron (B) concentrations on B availability (toxicity), shoot growth and leaf concentrations of B of wheat. The first experiment consisted of growing wheat to the spike emergence stage in sandcultures irrigated with a complete nutrient solution containing 1.0, 7.5, and 15.0 mg Bl⁻¹ and having Ψ_π values of −0.02, −0.07, −0.12, and −0.17 MPa produced by CaCl₂−NaCl additions. Statistically, shoot weight was independently influenced by the B and Ψ_π treatments but not by their interaction. Only the B treatment had a significant effect on leaf boron concentrations; the B x Ψ_π interaction was nonsignificant with respect to leaf B concentrations. The second experiment was designed to determine if growth and B uptake of wheat responds to the time integrated mean (TIM) concentration of B. This experiment consisted of four fixed-B concentrations and four fluctuating-B concentrations designed to produce two TIM concentrations (3.9 and 7.4 mg Bl⁻¹) approached low to high and vice versa. With respect to shoot weight, there was no statistical difference among treatments having the same TIM concentration during the 10 week experiment. However, shoot B concentrations differed greatly; they were higher when the B concentration was progressively increased over the 10 week period. Leaf B concentrations (Y leaf at flowering), while not as high as the shoot B concentrations, were also higher under the treatment of increasing B concentration, indicating B uptake rates are higher for mature plants than for seedlings.     

Morphometric analysis of cell types in the ovine corpus luteum throughout the estrous cycle

The cellular composition of ovine corpora lutea obtained during the early (Day 4), mid (Days 8 and 12), and late (Day 16) stages of the estrous cycle was determined by morphometric analysis. Individual corpora lutea were collected via midventral laparotomy from a total of 19 ewes. A center slice from each corpus luteum was processed for electron microscopy and subsequent morphometric analysis of the numbers and sizes of steroidogenic and nonsteroidogenic cells. Luteal weight progressively increased throughout the estrous cycle (p less than 0.05). Corpora lutea collected on Day 16 were assigned to one of two subgroups on the basis of gross appearance and weight: nonregressed (NR, 542 +/- 25 mg) or regressed (R, 260 +/- 2 mg). There were no significant changes in the proportion of the corpus luteum occupied by small luteal cells (19 +/- 2%) or large luteal cells (36 +/- 1%) throughout the estrous cycle. The total number of steroidogenic cells per corpus luteum increased from 21.8 +/- 3.7 (X 10(6)) on Day 4 to 61.7 +/- 5.4 (X 10(6)) on Day 8 (p less than 0.05) and remained elevated thereafter. The number of small luteal cells was 10.0 +/- 2.7 (X 10(6)), 39.7 +/- 1.4 (X 10(6)), 46.1 +/- 5.8 (X 10(6)), 49.0 +/- 13.7 (X 10(6)), and 29.9 +/- 8.6 (X 10(6)) on Days 4, 8, 12, 16 (NR), and 16 (R), respectively (p less than 0.05, Day 4 vs. Days 8, 12, 16 NR). In contrast, the number of large luteal cells was 11.8 +/- 1.5 (X 10(6)) on Day 4 and did not vary significantly during the remainder of the estrous cycle. The numbers of nonsteroidogenic cell types increased (p less than 0.05) from Day 4 to Day 16 (NR) but were decreased in regressed corpora lutea (Day 16 R). Regression was characterized by a 50% decrease (p less than 0.05) in the total number of cells per corpus luteum from 243 +/- 57 ( X 10(6)) on Day 16 (NR) to 125 +/- 14 ( X 10(6)) on Day 16 (R) (p less than 0.05). Small luteal cells remained constant in volume throughout the entire estrous cycle (2520 +/- 270 microns 3), whereas large luteal cells increased in size from 5300 +/- 800 microns 3 on Day 4 to 16,900 +/- 3300 microns 3 on Day 16 (NR) (p less than 0.05). In summary, small luteal cells increased in number but not size throughout the estrous cycle, whereas large luteal cells increased in size but not number.     

Effect of injected bovine interferon-alpha I1 on estrous cycle length and pregnancy success in sheep

In Exp. 1 twice daily i.m. injections of 2 mg recombinant bovine IFN-alpha I1 (rboIFN-alpha I1) (N = 24) or placebo (N = 25) were administered to ewes from Day 12 to Day 16 during a normal oestrous cycle. Treatment did not increase (P greater than 0.10) oestrous cycle length (20.7 +/- 1.2 versus 18.5 +/- 1.4 days). In Exp. 2, ewes were injected twice daily with 2 mg IFN (N = 34) or placebo (N = 36) from Days 11 to 18 after natural mating. The rboIFN-alpha I1 significantly (P = 0.05) improved pregnancy rate (79% versus 58%) as determined by a failure of ewes to return to oestrus within 50 days. The number of ewes that lambed was greatest in the rboIFN-alpha I1-treatment group (71% versus 50%; P = 0.07), and no teratogenic effects were observed in the young born to IFN-treated ewes. The study was repeated a second year with a more fecund group of ewes (Exp. 3). More (P = 0.08) ewes injected with rboIFN-alpha I1 (58/65) than placebo-treated ewes (48/61) were judged pregnant by ultrasound. Again more ewes lambed (55 versus 45) and more lambs were born (98 versus 80) from the rboIFN-alpha I1-treated group. Combining the data from both studies revealed a significant (P = 0.01) effect of treatment. The amount of antiviral activity in jugular vein blood of ewes injected with rboIFN-alpha I1 (2 mg) was determined over time in Exp. 4. Activity rose to a maximum (approximately 450 IRU/ml) within 1-2 h and declined by over 75% in 24 h. Single injections of 1, 2 and 5 mg in buffer or 2 mg emulsified in sesame oil all gave similar profiles of antiviral activity in jugular blood over a 48-h period. In Exp. 5, antiviral activity was measured in uterine vein, ovarian artery and jugular vein serum of untreated pregnant (N = 7) and non-pregnant (N = 11) ewes at Day 15 after mating. Activity was detected in the uterine vein (58 +/- 19 IRU/ml) of all pregnant ewes. The observations in Exps 1-5 are consistent with a role for conceptus-derived IFN-alpha in maternal recognition of pregnancy and suggest that supplemental IFN-alpha might be useful in improving pregnancy success in sheep.     

Breeding soundness and sex drive by breed and age in beef bulls used for natural mating

A total of 92 range beef bulls (Hereford = 60; Angus = 32) were given a breeding soundness examination (BSE) and two assessments for sex drive prior to their use in 23 breeding trials employing estrous synchronized females. Bulls were in three age groups: yearlings (n=29), two year olds (n=36), and three year olds and older (n=27). All yearling bulls were virgins, but the majority of the older bulls had previous mating experience. Angus bulls were superior (P<0.01) to Herefords in spermatozoal morphology and BSE score. Scrotal circumference increased with age beyond two years in Angus bulls but not in Herefords. Spermatozoal abnormalities generally decreased with age. BSE scores did not differ significantly among age groups. Apart from number of mounts, measures of sex drive did not differ with age or breed of bulls. This represents qualified justification for the current practice of using the same sex-drive assessment procedures for Bos taurus bulls of various ages and breeds.     

Towards clarification of the biological role of microcystins, a family of cyanobacterial toxins

Microcystins constitute a serious threat to the quality of drinking water worldwide. These protein phosphatase inhibitors are formed by various cyanobacterial species, including Microcystis sp. Microcystins are produced by a complex microcystin synthetase, composed of peptide synthetases and polyketide synthases, encoded by the mcyA-J gene cluster. Recent phylogenetic analysis suggested that the microcystin synthetase predated the metazoan lineage, thus dismissing the possibility that microcystins emerged as a means of defence against grazing, and their original biological role is not clear. We show that lysis of Microcystis cells, either mechanically or because of various stress conditions, induced massive accumulation of McyB and enhanced the production of microcystins in the remaining Microcystis cells. A rise in McyB content was also observed following exposure to microcystin or the protease inhibitors micropeptin and microginin, also produced by Microcystis. The extent of the stimulation by cell extract was strongly affected by the age of the treated Microcystis culture. Older cultures, or those recently diluted from stock cultures, hardly responded to the components in the cell extract. We propose that lysis of a fraction of the Microcystis population is sensed by the rest of the cells because of the release of non-ribosomal peptides. The remaining cells respond by raising their ability to produce microcystins thereby enhancing their fitness in their ecological niche, because of their toxicity.     

Modeling cancer metabolism on a genome scale

Cancer cells have fundamentally altered cellular metabolism that is associated with their tumorigenicity and malignancy. In addition to the widely studied Warburg effect, several new key metabolic alterations in cancer have been established over the last decade, leading to the recognition that altered tumor metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Deciphering the full scope and functional implications of the dysregulated metabolism in cancer requires both the advancement of a variety of omics measurements and the advancement of computational approaches for the analysis and contextualization of the accumulated data. Encouragingly, while the metabolic network is highly interconnected and complex, it is at the same time probably the best characterized cellular network. Following, this review discusses the challenges that genome‐scale modeling of cancer metabolism has been facing. We survey several recent studies demonstrating the first strides that have been done, testifying to the value of this approach in portraying a network‐level view of the cancer metabolism and in identifying novel drug targets and biomarkers. Finally, we outline a few new steps that may further advance this field.