Comparison of outcomes between minimally invasive and median sternotomy for double and triple valve surgery: A meta-analysis

Background

Limited data exists demonstrating the efficacy of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) compared to median sternotomy (MS) for multiple valvular disease (MVD). This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare operative and peri-operative outcomes of MIS vs MS in MVD.

Methods

PubMed, Ovid, and Embase were searched from inception until August 2019 for randomized and observational studies comparing MIS and MS in patients with MVD. Clinical outcomes of intra- and postoperative times, reoperation for bleeding and surgical site infection were evaluated.

Results

Five observational studies comparing 340 MIS vs 414 MS patients were eligible for qualitative and quantitative review. The quality of evidence assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale was good for all included studies. Meta-analysis demonstrated increased cardiopulmonary bypass time for MIS patients (weighted mean difference [WMD], 0.487; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.365-0.608; P < .0001). Similarly, aortic cross-clamp time was longer in patients undergoing MIS (WMD, 0.632; 95% CI, 0.509-0.755; P < .0001). No differences were found in operative mortality, reoperation for bleeding, surgical site infection, or hospital stay.

Conclusions

MIS for MVD have similar short-term outcomes compared to MS. This adds value to the use of minimally invasive methods for multivalvular surgery, despite conferring longer operative times. However, the paucity in literature and learning curve associated with MIS warrants further evidence, ideally randomized control trials, to support these findings.

     

Is a friend truly a treasure? Evolution of friendship competence from pre-school up to the last year of primary school

A Friend is truly a treasure, in accordance with age and competence’s qualitative changes. The aim of this study was to con?rm the increase in friendship competence and its multifactorial nature in 3- up to 10-year-old children, and to verify gender differences, and parenting in?uences on the concept of friendship. A semi-structured interview was administered in a natural context to 3- to 10-year-old children (N?=?167; Mean?=?7.6 years; SD?=?2.16). According to Selman’s Model, the coding provides ?ve sub-categories: (1) friendship; (2) social perspective taking; (3) emotions understanding; (4) social interaction strategies; and (5) aggressiveness. Three parental style questionnaires were administered to parents. Results point up an increase in social skills according to age. The Friendship Interview turned out to be a reliable tool able to investigate how the concept of friendship is also structured in preschool children.     

Differences in the abilities of human tau isoforms to promote microtubule assembly.

Three isoforms of human tau protein were compared for their abilities to induce microtubule assembly. The three isoforms, tau 3 (tau containing three microtubule-binding domains), tau 4 (tau containing four microtubule-binding domains) and tau 4L (tau containing four microtubule binding domains plus a 58-amino-acid insert near the N-terminus) were expressed in E. coli and purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange, and size exclusion chromatography. All three isoforms induced microtubule assembly at micromolar concentrations and showed similar critical concentrations for assembly of 0.4-0.45 microM. However, tau 4 induced microtubule formation at a rate five- to tenfold faster than either tau 3 or tau 4L. The rate of microtubule elongation seen with tau 4 was twofold greater than with tau 3 or tau 4L, suggesting that the faster rate of microtubule assembly seen with tau 4 was due, at least in part, to faster elongation. Tau 4 induced a greater number of microtubules to form at steady state than did tau 3 or tau 4L. The microtubules generated with each tau isoform had similar steady-state length distributions and were equally susceptible to cold-induced disassembly. These results indicate that the additional microtubule-binding domain in tau 4 enhances microtubule assembly, while the 58-amino-acid insert negates the stimulatory effect of the fourth microtubule-binding domain.     

Priming with a very low dose of DNA complexed with cationic block copolymers followed by protein boost elicits broad and long-lasting antigen-specific humoral and cellular responses in mice

Cationic block copolymers spontaneously assemble via electrostatic interactions with DNA molecules in aqueous solution giving rise to micellar structures that protect the DNA from enzymatic degradation both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we have previously shown that they are safe, not immunogenic and greatly increased antigen-specific CTL responses following six intramuscular inoculations of a very low dose (1 μg) of the vaccine DNA as compared to naked DNA. Nevertheless, they failed to elicit detectable humoral responses against the antigen. To gain further insight in the potential application of this technology, here we show that a shorter immunization protocol based on two DNA intramuscular inoculations of 1 μg of DNA delivered by these copolymers and a protein boost elicits in mice broad (both humoral and cellular) and long-lasting responses and increases the antigen-specific Th1-type T cell responses and CTLs as compared to priming with naked DNA. These results indicate that cationic block copolymers represent a promising adjuvant and delivery technology for DNA vaccination strategies aimed at combating intracellular pathogens.     

麦冬类中药组织切片计算机三维重建图鉴

利用计算机技术实现麦冬类中药组织连续切片三维重建与动态显示,为计算机辅助生药学鉴定和教学提供了新的三维图像技术和研究资料。     

用混合粘合剂碳糊电极测定丁螺环酮

用混合粘合剂碳糊电极测定丁螺环酮张正奇，曾鸽鸣，刘传桂，黎艳飞（湖南大学化学化工系，长沙４１００８２）碳糊电极无毒，制作方便，表面更新容易，应用电位范围广，在药物分析中已有应用［１～５］。我们在液体石腊中加入添加剂，组成混合粘合剂，可显著改善电极的检...     

Tau protein induces bundling of microtubules in vitro: comparison of different tau isoforms and a tau protein fragment.

Expression of tau protein in non-neuronal cells can result in a redistribution of the microtubule cytoskeleton into thick bundles of tau-containing microtubules (Lewis et al.: Nature 342:498-505, 1989; Kanai et al.: J Cell Biol 109:1173-1184, 1989). We reconstituted microtubule bundles using purified tubulin and tau in order to study the assembly of these structures. Taxol-stabilized tubulin polymers were incubated with various concentrations of recombinant human tau and examined by electron microscopy. With increasing concentrations of tau 3 (tau isoform containing three microtubule binding domains) or tau 4 (isoform containing four microtubule binding domains) the microtubules changed orientation from a random distribution to loosely and tightly packed parallel arrays and then to thick cables. In contrast, tau 4L, the tau isoform containing four microtubule binding domains plus a 58-amino acid insert near the N-terminus, showed minimal bundling activity. tau 4-induced bundling could be inhibited by the addition of 0.5 M NaCl or 0.4 mM estramustine phosphate, conditions which are known to inhibit tau binding to microtubules. A tau construct that contained only the microtubule binding domains plus 19 amino acids to the C-terminus was fully capable of bundling microtubules. Phosphorylation of tau 3 with cAMP-dependent protein kinase had no effect on its ability to induce microtubule bundling. These results indicate that tau protein is directly capable of bundling microtubules in vitro, and suggests that different tau isoforms differ in their ability to bundle microtubule filaments.