Response from lieberman and colleagues

Respond on comments on Lieberman's article: Cyclosiloxanes Produce Fatal Liver and Lung Damage in Mice. Environ Health Perspect 107:161-165     

Optical coherence tomography in interventional cardiology—Research field or future daily routine?

Nowadays, optical coherent tomography (OCT) as the most precise morphologic technique is used in the increasing number of cases, both in routine clinical situations and research projects. Huang and co-workers reported the first clinical use of the 2-dimensional OCT in 1991, suggesting the principle of its use both in ophthalmology and interventional cardiology. The method has developed rapidly since that time. Interventional cardiologists benefit from its detailed intravascular imaging ability, providing real-time information of the intracoronary pathology. Researchers acknowledge the resolution, allowing detailed analysis of vessel structure. Its axial resolution level is approximately 10–15 μm, which is far from any other method used in interventional cardiology. The review will address the principle of the method and the main fields of the relatively short history of the OCT use as a routine clinical imaging method. We will summarize the main OCT milestones in the research field and its possible future as well. The review will describe OCT as the method under rapid development that should be considered as a new “gold” or even “platinum” standard for the coronary vessels imaging.     

Modeling Pressure Drop Using Generalized Scaffold Characteristics in an Axial-Flow Bioreactor for Soft Tissue Regeneration

The goal of this study was to better understand how analytical permeability models based on scaffold architecture can facilitate a non-invasive technique to real time monitoring of pressure drop in bioreactors. In particular, we evaluated the permeability equations for electrospun and freeze dried scaffolds via pressure drop comparison in an axial-flow bioreactor using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) and experimentation. The polycaprolactone–cellulose acetate fibers obtained by co-axial electrospinning technique and Chitosan–Gelatin scaffolds prepared using freeze-drying techniques were utilized. Initially, the structural properties (fiber size, pore size and porosity) and mechanical properties (elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio) of scaffolds in phosphate buffered saline at 37 °C were evaluated. The CFD simulations were performed by coupling fluid flow, described by Brinkman equation, with structural mechanics using a moving mesh. The experimentally obtained pressure drop values for both 1 mm thick and 2 mm thick scaffolds agreed with simulation results. To evaluate the effect of permeability and elastic modulus on pressure drop, CFD predictions were extended to a broad range of permeabilities spanning synthetic scaffolds and tissues, elastic moduli, and Poisson’s ratio. Results indicated an increase in pressure drop with increase in permeability. Scaffolds with higher elastic modulus performed better and the effect of Poisson’s ratio was insignificant. Flow induced deformation was negligible in axial-flow bioreactor. In summary, scaffold permeabilities can be calculated using scaffold microarchitecture and can be used in non-invasive monitoring of tissue regeneration.     

Acute coronary syndromes with ongoing myocardial ischemia (ACS with OMI) versus acute coronary syndromes without ongoing ischemia (ACS without OMI): The new classification of acute coronary syndromes should replace old classification based on ST segment elevation presence or absence—Expert consensus statement of the Czech Society of Cardiology

The Czech Society of Cardiology is proposing here the new classification of acute coronary syndromes at the time of the first medical contact. The proposal suggests to remove the terms “ST elevation myocardial infarction” and “non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome” and to replace these terms by “acute coronary syndrome with ongoing myocardial ischemia” and “acute coronary syndrome without ongoing myocardial ischemia”. The proposed new classification better reflects current treatment approaches and will facilitate the decision making at the first medical contact.