AIMS Since the intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) cannot detect neointimal layers in the majority of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) at the chronic phase, it is still controversial to what extent SES remain uncovered. However, optical coherence tomography (OCT) with excellent resolution may be able to detect thinner neointima. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 34 patients (57 SES) underwent OCT and ...

BACKGROUND Fast post-implantation stent endothelialization is desirable for theoretically reducing the possibility of stent thrombosis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the extent of sirolimus-eluting stent strut endothelialization (delivered from the luminal and abluminal aspects or abluminal aspect only) in the iliac arteries of rabbits. METHODS The iliac arteries of 10 rabbits were implanted with f...

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been recently applied to investigate coronary artery disease in interventional cardiology. Compared to intravascular ultrasound, OCT is able to visualize various vascular structures more clearly with higher resolution. Several validation studies have shown that OCT is more accurate in evaluating neointimal tissue after coronary stent implantation than intr...

BACKGROUND Acute thrombogenicity and re-endothelialization represent clinically relevant end points pertaining to the safety of coronary stents, which have not been compared among biodegradable polymer-based drug-eluting metallic stents and fully bioabsorbable scaffolds to date. METHODS AND RESULTS We investigated comparative outcomes with respect to acute thrombogenicity and re-endothelializ...

the objective of this review to be submitted in two independent parts, for steel frames and for rc frames, is to compare their structural performance with respect to the proposed n2-method, and so also of the consequent convenience of using pushover methodology for the seismic analysis of these structures. a preliminary investigation is presented on a pushover analysis used for the seismic perf...

IMPORTANCE The extended columellar strut-tip graft was designed to improve nasal tip projection and tip definition in patients undergoing rhinoplasty. OBJECTIVE To determine whether the extended columellar tip graft leads to a true and measurable increase in nasal tip projection or simply gives the illusion of an increase in projection. DESIGN Retrospective case review. The mean time of fol...

This study aimed to characterise viscoelastic properties of different categories of chordae tendineae over a range of frequencies. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) was performed using a materials testing machine. Chordae (n=51) were dissected from seven porcine hearts and categorised as basal, marginal, strut or commissural. Chordae were loaded under a sinusoidally varying tensile load at a ra...

OBJECTIVE To develop an easy-to-use tool for decision-making on prophylactic replacement of Björk-Shiley convexo-concave heart valves. DESIGN Decision analysis comparing elective replacement with observation. SETTING Referral centres for patients with artificial heart valves. PATIENTS Quantitative estimates were obtained from a follow up study conducted in The Netherlands, including 2303 ...

OBJECTIVES To determine whether using a fixed-angle locked plate plus a fibular strut autograft to treat humeral surgical neck nonunions can result in improved union. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study cohort included 5 females and 2 males with an average age of 58.4 years (range 45-76) who presented with atrophic nonunion of the surgical neck of the humerus. All patients underwent revision surge...

Cell migration plays a critical role in a wide variety of physiological and pathological phenomena as well as in scaffold-based tissue engineering. Cell migration behavior is known to be governed by biochemical stimuli and cellular interactions. Biophysical processes associated with interactions between the cell and its surrounding extracellular matrix may also play a significant role in regula...