Martin A. Chacon‐Portillo^1,2, Rodrigo Zea‐Vera^1,2, Huirong Zhu³, Heather A. Dickerson^4,5, Iki Adachi^1,2, Jeffrey S. Heinle^1,2, Charles D. Fraser^1,2, Carlos M. Mery^1,2

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.6, pp. 927-934, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12664

Abstract Objective: There are limited studies analyzing pulsatile Glenn as a long‐term pallia‐ tion strategy for single ventricle patients. This study sought to determine their out‐ comes at a single institution.
Design: A retrospective review was performed.
Setting: Study performed at a single pediatric hospital.
Patients: All single ventricle patients who underwent pulsatile Glenn from 1995 to 2016 were included.
Outcome measures: Pulsatile Glenn failure was defined as takedown, transplant, or death. Further palliation was defined as Fontan, 1.5, or biventricular repair. Risk fac‐ tors were assessed by Cox multivariable competing risk analyses.
Results: Seventy‐eight patients underwent pulsatile Glenn at age… More >

Jia-Wang Xiao, Qi-Guang Wang, Duan-Zhen Zhang, Chun-Sheng Cui, Xiumin Han, Po Zhang, Chuangju Hou, Xian-Yang Zhu

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 305-310, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12572

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes of percutaneous closure (PC) and surgical repair of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (RSVA).
Methods: Eighty-five consecutive patients with RSVA were included in this study. Patients were considered candidates for PC if they met the criterion, surgical repair was performed on patients who were unsuitable or failed PC. Of them, 30 patients underwent PC, while the other 55 patients had surgical repair.
Results: RSVA was successfully occluded in 29 of 30 patients who were treated by PC. The mean narrowest diameter at the ruptured site was 6.45 ± 1.60 mm… More >

Varun Aggarwal^1,2, Sebastian C. Tume³, Marco Rodriguez¹, Iki Adachi⁴, Antonio G. Cabrera¹, Hari Tunuguntla¹, Athar M. Qureshi¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.6, pp. 1130-1137, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12860

Abstract Objective: Predictors of right ventricle (RV) dysfunction after continuous‐flow left ventricular assist device (CF‐LVAD) implantation in children are not well described. We explored the association of preimplantation Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility index (PAPi) and other hemodynamic parameters as predictors of prolonged postoperative inotropes/pulmonary vasodilator use after CF‐LVAD implantation.
Design: Retrospective chart review.
Setting: Single tertiary care pediatric referral center.
Patients: Patients who underwent CF‐LVAD implantation from January 2012 to October 2017.
Interventions: Preimplantation invasive hemodynamic parameters were analyzed to evaluate the association with post‐CF‐LVAD need for prolonged (>72 hours) use of inotropes/pulmonary vasodilators.
Measurements and main results: Preimplantation cardiac catheterization data… More >

Tin-Kan Hung^1,*, Ruei-Hung Kuo², Cheng-Hsien Chiang³

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 19-24, 2020, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07817

Abstract Kinematic and dynamic characteristics of pulsating flow in a model of human aortic arch are obtained by a computational analysis. Three-dimensional flow processes are summarized by pressure distributions on the symmetric plane together with velocity and pressure contours on a few cross sections for systolic acceleration and deceleration. Without considering the effects of aortic tapering and the carotid arteries, the development of tubular boundary layer with centrifugal forces and pulsation are also analyzed for flow separation and backflow during systolic deceleration. More >

ANA ROCÍO ROLDÁN PALOMO¹, PEDRO MARTÍN¹, ALEJANDRO REBOLLEDO^1*, NICOLÁS ENRIQUE¹, LUIS E. FLORES², VERÓNICA MILESI¹

BIOCELL, Vol.36, No.2, pp. 73-81, 2012, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2012.36.073

Abstract After depletion of intracellular Ca²⁺ stores the capacitative response triggers an extracellular Ca²⁺ influx through store-operated channels (SOCs) which refills these stores. Our objective was to explore if human umbilical artery smooth muscle presented this response and if it was involved in the mechanism of serotonin- and histamine-induced contractions. Intracellular Ca²⁺ depletion by a Ca²⁺-free extracellular solution followed by Ca²⁺ readdition produced a contraction in artery rings which was inhibited by the blocker of Orai and TRPC channels 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB), suggesting a capacitative response. In presence of 2-APB the magnitude of a second paired contraction by serotonin or histamine… More >

Tin-Kan Hung^1,*, Ruei-Hung Kuo², Cheng-Hsien Chiang³

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 90-91, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07854

Abstract Pulsating flow in a human aortic arch is studied from its kinematic and dynamic characteristics of transient tubular boundary layer. The results can only be obtained by a 3D fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis for the rapidly accelerated and decelerated systolic flow. The flow is based on a prescribed inlet velocity, V_O(t), which can be expressed as the instantaneous Reynolds number, Re(t) = ρDV_O/μ in which D is the tube diameter, ρ the blood density and μ the dynamic viscosity. Computation of pressure field requires a reference pressure at the downstream end section. The pressure is based on the pulse in… More >

Xiuqing Qian^1,2, Fan yuan^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 89-89, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07041

Abstract Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the most important risk factor for disease progression in glaucoma patients. The elevation is predominantly due to the increase in the aqueous outflow resistance in the trabecular outflow pathway. Recent data have shown that the resistance increase is correlated with changes in the tissue stiffness. To this end, we developed a mathematical model to simulate how the tissue stiffness can affect the deformation of the trabecular meshwork (TM) that can be determined experimentally. The goal of the study is to develop a method to non-invasively determine the TM stiffness in patients through measurement of the… More >

Yahui Zhang¹, Hui Wang^1,2, Zhouming Mai^1,2, Jianhang Du^1,2,3,*, Guifu Wu^1,2,3

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.1, pp. 85-86, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.05836

Abstract Enhanced external counter pulsation (EECP) is an effective therapy to provide beneficial assistance for the failing heart by reducing cardiac afterload and increasing blood flow perfusion noninvasively. The technique of EECP involves the use of the EECP device to inflate and deflate a series of compression cuffs wrapped around the patient’s calves, lower thighs, and upper thighs. As the result, the enhanced flow perfusion is derived from the device’s propelling blood from veins of lower body to arteries of upper body and increases the blood supply for the important organs and brain. In the ACCF/AHA Guideline and ESC Guideline on… More >

Qi Zhang¹, Bin Gao¹, Yue Shi¹, Chang Yu^1,*

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.116, No.2, pp. 247-262, 2018, DOI: 10.31614/cmes.2018.04082

Abstract Although pulsatile ECMO, as novel kinds of ECMO, has been attracted more and more attention, the differences of the hemodynamic effects of the pulsatile ECMO on the aorta, the cerebral perfusion, and left ventricular work were still under-investigated. The aim of this study was to clarify the hemodynamic differences of the cardiovascular system between the pulsatile and non-pulsatile VA ECMO. In this study, three ECMO support modes, named as “constant flow mode”, “co-pulse mode” and “counter pulse mode”, were designed. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study was carried out. The distribution of the oxygenated blood, the blood velocity vector, the… More >

Gustavo P. Petrechen^1,4,*, Marcos Arduin³, José D. Ambrósio^1,2

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.7, pp. 683-692, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.04588

Abstract This article presents the overall morphological structure of the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) fruit pericarp, from macro to nano scale. The acquired knowledge would be used for the development of new applications, like using the materials as fillers for biocomposites, or as a hierarchical architecture model for biomimetics. This research was performed using stereo and light microscopy and conventional and force field emission scanning electron microscopy. The pericarp presents three layers: the exocarp, a dark gray, brittle and fragile outer layer; the mesocarp, a beige, dry, rigid, impermeable and fibrous intermediate layer; and the endocarp, an inner layer with… More >