BACKGROUND Small aortic prosthesis can lead to prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM). Implanting such small prosthesis remains a controversial issue. This study was done to investigate whether or not PPM causes an increased operative mortality in aortic valve replacement (AVR). METHODS Two-hundred-two consecutive patients undergoing primary AVR in a tertiary hospital were included. The sample was...

The presence of the conceptus in uterine cavity necessitates an elaborate network of interactions between the implanting embryo and a receptive endometrial tissue. We believe that embryo-derived signals play an important role in the remodeling and the extension of endometrial receptivity period. Our previous studies provided original evidence that human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) modulates an...

To determine the function of Annexin A2 (Axna2) in mouse embryo implantation in vivo, experimental manipulation of Axna2 activities was performed in mouse endometrial tissue in vivo and in vitro. Histological examination of endometrial tissues was performed throughout the reproduction cycle and after steroid treatment. Embryo implantation was determined after blockage of the Axna2 activities by...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the related parameters of the temporal bone structure for determining the position of implanting electrode into the scala tympani in cochlear implantation surgery through the facial recess and epitympanum approach. METHODS In a surgical simulation experiment, 20 human temporal bones were studied and measured to determine the related parameters of the temporal bone str...

Transcriptomal changes in the uterine endometrium induced in response to the implanting embryo remain largely unknown. In this study, using Affymetrix mRNA expression microarray analysis, we identified genes differentially expressed in the murine endometrium in the presence or absence of the embryo. Compared with the pseudopregnant deciduoma induced by a mechanical stimulus in the absence of an...

Enforcing copyright laws related to circuit design is usually hard, since discovery and proof of infringements are required beyond reasonable doubt. Proving that a given circuitry is trivially derived from a patented technique or method is in general a painstakingly slow task, often requiring reverse-engineering and forensic analysis of fabricated chips. These techniques are so complex that the...

BACKGROUND Dextrocardia, or right-lying heart, is an uncommon congenital heart disease in which the apex of the heart is located on the right side of chest. Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVA) is a rare venous anomaly that is often associated with the abnormalities of cardiac transduction system. A case with combination of dextrocardia, persistent left superior vena cava, and sick sinus ...

OBJECTIVE To study the feasibility of engineering cartilage tissue in a tube lined with epithelium and implanting allogenic chondrocytes in a novel scaffold that is made of chitosan nonwoven cloth coated with poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide). DESIGN Laboratory research. SUBJECTS Allogenic chondrocytes were obtained from the auricles of 1-month-old New Zealand white rabbits. After the cells wer...