BACKGROUND Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is a major cause of cardiac allograft failure. Multimeric L-type calcium channels (alpha1-, alpha2/delta-, and beta-subunits) are essential for excitation/contraction coupling in the heart. Their gene expression was studied in allografts that developed diastolic heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS mRNA levels of calcium channel subunits were me...

BACKGROUND The long-term success of cardiac transplantation is limited by graft coronary artery disease (GCAD). Antisense oligonucleotides (ASs) to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Cdc2 kinase (Cdc2 k) can arrest cell cycle progression and inhibit neointimal hyperplasia. Transforming growth factor-ss(1) (TGF-ss(1)) has been implicated in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) activatio...

In the United States, approximately 50,000 knee surgeries are performed each year for repairing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Tissue allografts frequently are used for ACL reconstruction, and septic arthritis is a rare complication of such procedures. This report describes four patients who acquired postsurgical septic arthritis probably associated with contaminated bone-tendon-bon...

In axonotmesis, peripheral nerve regeneration, target reinnervation and recovery of function happen remarkably well with a conservative management in most of the cases. Also, substantial axonal regrowth and nerve regeneration can occur with nerve transection injuries after primary end-to-end neurorrhaphy. Nearly similar outcomes can be obtained using a nerve autograft to repair a nerve defect b...