Type I DNA methyltransferases contain one specificity subunit (HsdS) and two modification subunits (HsdM). The electron microscopy model of M.EcoKI-M₂S₁ methyltransferase shows a reasonable closed state of this clamp-like enzyme, but the structure of the open state is still unclear. The 1.95 Å crystal structure of the specificity subunit from Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis (TTE-HsdS) shows an...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate whether pericardial effusion (PE) detected by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was clinically significant and whether routine echocardiography was necessary after catheter ablation of atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT). METHODS A total of 202 patients with AVNRT were included in the study from three centers. The patien...

BACKGROUND Before trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), assessment of cardiac function and accurate measurement of the aortic root are key to determine the correct size and type of the prosthesis. The aim of this study was to compare cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) for the assessment of aortic valve measurements and left ventricular f...

PURPOSE To investigate the value of prospective ECG-gated high-pitch 128-slice dual-source CT (DSCT) angiography in the diagnosis of congenital extracardiac vascular anomalies in infants and children in comparison with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). METHODS Eighty consecutive infants or children clinically diagnosed of congenital heart disease and suspected with extracardiac vascular a...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Accurate measurement of aortic annulus diameter is crucial for choosing suitable prosthetic size for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Several imaging methods are available for the measurement, but significant variability between different modalities has been observed. The purpose of this study was to systematically compare the measurements of aortic annulus...

Persistent müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) is a rare form of male pseudohermaphroditism, characterized by the presence of a uterus and fallopian tubes owing to failure of müllerian duct regression in genotypically normal males. The association between a persistent müllerian duct and transverse testicular ectopia (TTE) is even more uncommon. PMDS with TTE is a very rare pathological association, ...

BACKGROUND Infective endocarditis (IE) is a diagnostic challenge due to its variable presentation and nonspecific clinical findings. The use of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) has greatly improved the ability to diagnose IE early, and therefore reduce high mortality and morbidity rates. However, reliance on TTE to exclude IE may lead to overuse of this technology in patients with a low pre...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify the morphological and functional characteristics of quadricuspid aortic valves (QAV) on cardiac computed tomography (CCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively enrolled 11 patients with QAV. All patients underwent CCT and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and 7 patients underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). The presence and ...

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy is the leading cause of maternal mortality in North America. Although transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the most widely used imaging modality for the assessment of cardiovascular function during pregnancy, little is known on the role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). The objective of the Cardiac Hemodynamic Imaging and Remodeling in...

BACKGROUND Valve effective orifice area EOA and transvalvular mean pressure gradient (MPG) are the most frequently used parameters to assess aortic stenosis (AS) severity. However, MPG measured by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) may differ from the one measured by transthoracic Doppler-echocardiography (TTE). The objectives of this study were: 1) to identify the factors responsible for ...