AV Groups Research Articles

Iraqi patients suffering from valvular heart diseases' serum iron levels

Valve heart disease (VHD), caused by a heart valve becoming too narrow (valvular stenosis) or not closing adequately (valvular insufficiency), is one of the heart illnesses that causes the most morbidity and mortality. The study included ninety participants, who were divided into three groups: Thirty people in excellent health, thirty patients with aortic valve disease (atrioventricular valve group: 14 men, 16 females), and thirty patients with mitral valve disease (mitral valve group: 13 males, 17 females). group C, the control group, consisted of 16 men and 14 women. Serum UIBC decreased significantly (P < 0.001) while serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, and iron increased significantly (P < 0.001) when the patient groups were compared to group C. Conversely, there were no statistically significant changes (P>0.05) seen in the concentrations of transferrin and TIBC in the serum between the two patient groups and the control group. Moreover, no appreciable variations were noted in the concentrations of iron, TIBC, UIBC, transferrin, transferrin saturation, or ferritin between the AV and MV groups.

Use of local anesthetics in individuals with chronic renal failure

Individuals with chronic renal failure (CRF) undergoing hemodialysis often develop systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and have to consider which anesthetic should be used in dental interventions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the action of anesthetics with (AV) and without vasoconstrictor (AWV) in individuals with CRF, in need of dental treatment. Randomly, dental hemiarchs were subjected to anesthetic infiltration with a 1.8 mL tube (for one moment with AV and another moment AWV). Oxygen saturation (SaO2), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured before and after anesthesia. The results demonstrated a statistical difference only in SaO2 5 minutes after anesthesia in comparison with the AV and AWV groups, highlighting the safety of its use, as long as in small quantities, in individuals with CRF.

Anti-atrial Fibrillatory and Cardiorenal Protective Effects of the Combination of Valsartan and Cilnidipine in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats.

The current study aimed to investigate the anti-atrial fibrillatory (AF) effects of a combination of valsartan and a calcium channel blocker (cilnidipine or amlodipine) in Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl S) rats. Seven-week-old male Dahl S rats were fed an 8% salt diet. Six weeks later, valsartan (60 mg/kg, Val group), cilnidipine + valsartan (10 + 60 mg/kg, CV group), amlodipine + valsartan (3 + 60 mg/kg, AV group), or vehicle was orally administered daily for 5 weeks. Echocardiography and atrial electrophysiological evaluations were performed on the last day of treatment. Blood pressure in each drug treatment group was lower than in the Vehicle group. The duration of AF induced by atrial burst stimulation was shorter in the Val group (3.2 ± 1.6 s) than in the Vehicle group (11.2 ± 6.0 s), which was further shortened in the CV and AV groups (1.1 ± 0.3 and 1.3 ± 0.3 s, respectively). Left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular fractional shortening were greater in the CV and AV groups than those in the Vehicle group. Urinary albumin excretion in the CV group was the lowest among the drug-treated groups. The results collectively suggest that the combination of a calcium channel blocker with valsartan could be useful in terms of its anti-AF action as well as for improving cardiac and renal functions.

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Introduction: The use of aseptic procedures & thorough cleaning are crucial to the effectiveness of root canal therapy. Hence the current study is conducted to assess the impact of herbal & chemical disinfectant on the properties of GP.Material and Methods: From a sealed packet, four different groups of 60 GP cones of size F3 Pro Taper were taken out. Except for the control group, the investigational groups were cleaned with, 90% AV gel, 5.25% SH & 2% CHX. On a testing machine, the GP cones' tensile strength was determined, & a stereomicroscope was used to examine the surface roughness.Results: From lowest to greatest, the mean tensile strength was 10.13 for 5.25 percent SH, 12.05 for 2% CHX, 12.56 for 90% AV, & 17.43 for the control group. In contrast to the control & AV groups, which had minimal surface pitting, the 5.25% SH group under stereomicroscopy had substantial surface pitting.Conclusion: At 90%, Aloe vera gel may be used as a more secure GP cone disinfection.

Comparison between selective caudal fixed screw construct and all variable screw construct in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion

This retrospective comparative study aimed to compare the efficacy of selective caudal fixed screw constructs with all variable screw constructs in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Thirty-five patients who underwent surgery using selective caudal fixed screw construct (SF group) were compared with 44 patients who underwent surgery using all variable constructs (AV group). The fusion rate, subsidence, adjacent level ossification development (ALOD), adjacent segmental disease (ASD), and plate-adjacent disc space distance were assessed. The one-year fusion rates assessed by computed tomography bone bridging and interspinous motion as well as the significant subsidence rate did not differ significantly between the AV and SF groups. The ALOD and ASD rates and plate-adjacent disc space distances did not significantly differ between the two groups at both the cranial and caudal adjacent levels. The number of operated levels was significantly associated with pseudarthrosis in the logistic regression analysis. The stability provided by the locking mechanism of the fixed screw did not lead to an increased fusion rate at the caudal level. Therefore, the screw type should be selected based on individual patient’s anatomy and surgeon’s experience without concern for increased complications caused by screw type.

Evaluation of Ceruloplasmin ferroxidase activity and lipid profiles in patients with Valvular heart diseases

One of the major health problems causing defects or damage to one or more of the four heart valves [aortic, mitral, pulmonary, and tricuspid] is valvular heart disease [VHD]; it occurs due to congenital abnormalities or acquired pathology. It is a defect that results in weak heart valves and is therefore unable to function as precise pathways of the blood. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the ferroxidase activity of ceruloplasmin (Cp) and the lipid profile of valvular heart disease patients in sera. Ninety subjects were included in this study and 60 patients with HDV were divided into two subgroups according to the affected valve: 33 patients with aortic valve disease (AV) and 27 patients with mitral valve disease (MV group). In addition, 30 healthy individuals were registered in all groups as control(C) group Serum copper (Cu), total protein (TP), activity and specific activity of ferroxidase Cp, and lipid profile were measured. The results showed that there was a highly significant increase in patient (AV & MV) groups compared to the C group in activity, specific Cp and Cu activity levels. In addition, compared to the C group, triglyceride (TG) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels showed a highly significant increase in the AV and MV groups. No significant differences were found between patients and control groups in TP, Total Cholesterol (TC), Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) & High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Likewise, for all parameters, there were no significant differences between the AV and MV groups. In conclusion, the high serum level of Cu and the activity of Cp ferroxidase may be considered to be a risk factor for VHD.

THE EFFECT OF A VARNISH CONTAINING SELF-CURING RESIN ON THE SOFTNESS OF TWO TYPES OF TISSUE CONDITIONERS

Objectives: One of the limitations of tissue conditioners (TC) is the gradual hardening of the material in a short time after insertion in the mouth. This study aimed to determine the softness of two different tissue conditioners with and without the coating made up of 1,1,1trichloroethan and self-curing acrylic resin.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, Acrosoft (Marlic, Tehran, Iran) and GC (GC corporation, Tokyo, Japan) tissue conditioners were examined. 28 discs of 20 x 3 mm dimensions were prepared for each tissue conditioner (n=14). Half of the samples in each group were coated with varnish coating made up of 1,1,1trichloroethan and self-curing acrylic resin. The hardness of all samples was measured at five intervals of 1,3,7,14, and28 days by a Shore-A Durometer with a conical indenter. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Friedman analyses. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean hardness of the GC and Acrosoft tissue conditioners on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 in both varnish-coated and non-varnish-coated groups were statistically different and Acrosoft tissue conditioner was harder than the GC. In the paired mean hardness comparison on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 in the GV and G0 groups: this trend was the same in AV and A0 groups. The comparison of hardness in the GV and G0 groups at each time interval indicated that only on day 3, the control group(G0) was harder than the surface coating group(GV). The comparison of the hardness in the AV and A0 groups showed that on days 3 and 7, the hardness in the control group (A0) was higher than the surface coating group(AV).Conclusions: The varnish containing self-curing resin can soften the Acrosoft and GC tissue conditioner in a short time. Moreover, this varnish can be clinically applied in the borders between the soft liner and acrylic denture, which is usually the starting point for debonding.

Effects of audiovisual perceptual training with corrective feedback on the perception and production of English sounds by Korean learners

This paper aims to propose a new audiovisual perceptual training with corrective feedback and compare the results of this training with those of audio only and audiovisual perceptual training. The results are compared in order to see which is more effective in improving the perception and production of English sounds by Korean learners. For this experiment, we selected 6 consonant pairs (i.e., /p-f/, /b-v/, /t-θ/, /l-r/, /s-ʃ/) and 4 vowel pairs (i.e., /i:-ɪ/, /ɛ-ae/, /ɑ:-ʌ/, /ɔ:-oʊ/), which are visually distinguishable from one another but often confused by Koreans. 20 subjects participated in audio only training (A group), 20 subjects in audiovisual training (AV group) and 25 subjects in audiovisual training with corrective feedback (CF group). 8 training sessions, each lasting about 40 minutes, were offered. All the groups showed a significant improvement in the perception of vowels and consonants (i.e., 5.4% and 3.4% improvements for the A group, 7.7% and 3.4% for the AV group, and 11.1% and 4.1% for the CF group). However, only A group showed a significant improvement in the production of vowels (i.e., 7.19% improvement) while only AV and CF groups showed a significant improvement in the production of consonants (i.e. 6.08% and 8.00% improvements for the AV and CF groups, respectively). This paper aims to propose a new audiovisual perceptual training with corrective feedback and compare the results of this training with those of audio only and audiovisual perceptual training. The results are compared in order to see which is more effective in improving the perception and production of English sounds by Korean learners. For this experiment, we selected 6 consonant pairs (i.e., /p-f/, /b-v/, /t-θ/, /l-r/, /s-ʃ/) and 4 vowel pairs (i.e., /i:-ɪ/, /ɛ-ae/, /ɑ:-ʌ/, /ɔ:-oʊ/), which are visually distinguishable from one another but often confused by Koreans. 20 subjects participated in audio only training (A group), 20 subjects in audiovisual training (AV group) and 25 subjects in audiovisual training with corrective feedback (CF group). 8 training sessions, each lasting about 40 minutes, were offered. All the groups showed a significant improvement in the perception of vowels and consonants (i.e., 5.4% and 3.4% improvements for the A group, 7.7% and 3.4% for the AV group, and 11.1% and 4.1% for t...

Endometrial Cancer Associated Symptoms: A Case-Control Study.

The majority of women with endometrial cancer (EC) present at an early stage with an associated 5-year survival rate of >90%. High rates of early detection are attributed to warning symptoms; however, the prevalence of such symptoms has not been well defined. A case-control study was conducted assessing the prevalence of symptoms in EC patients at a large cancer center compared with healthy controls. Controls included patients seen for an annual gynecologic care visit (AV) or for a gynecological problem-based visit (PV). A self-administered questionnaire was given to all participants addressing EC-associated symptoms, at the time of initial clinic visit. Odds ratios (ORs) were used to compare prevalence of symptoms between EC cases and controls. Logistic regression was used to determine the impact of menopausal status and obesity on symptom prevalence. The cases (n = 75) were significantly older than the AV (n = 203) and PV (n = 151) controls (59.7 vs. 49.8 vs. 51.0 years, p < 0.01), had a higher body mass index (35.5 vs. 29.4 vs. 30.9 kg/m2, p < 0.01), and were more likely to be postmenopausal (76% vs. 53.7% vs. 52.0%, p < 0.01). The cases were more likely to report postmenopausal bleeding (OR = 32.99 and 5.83, p < 0.01) and abnormal vaginal discharge (OR = 8.8 and 3.3, p < 0.01) compared with the AV and PV groups. Overall, 55.4% of cases reported abnormal vaginal discharge. Symptoms of both postmenopausal bleeding and abnormal vaginal discharge were significantly higher in EC compared with controls. The presence of such symptoms should raise concern for malignant disease and prompt immediate gynecological evaluation.

Impact of aortocaval shunt flow on cardiac and renal function in unilateral nephrectomized rats.

We previously reported significantly enhanced cardiac remodeling post aortocaval fistula (AV) in unilateral nephrectomized (UNX) rats. However, the relationship between the size of the AV and the cardiorenal effects in UNX rats remains unknown. In the present study, AV was induced by 20, 18 and 16 gauge needles in UNX rats to see if larger shunt would definitely induce heavier cardiac and renal damage in UNX rats. Our results demonstrated that bigger shunt size is linked with proportional more significant cardiorenal remodeling and dysfunction in UNX rats. Expression of inflammatory biomarkers including CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, TGF-β and MCP-1 in left kidney and heart was significantly increased in all UNX + AV groups compared to Sham rats. Inflammation might thus participate in the worsening cardiorenal functions and remodeling processes in this model.

The effect of aloe vera on ischemia--Reperfusion injury of sciatic nerve in rats.

Aloe vera is compound which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the neuroprotective role of aloe vera treatment in rats with experimental sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion injury. Twenty-eight male Wistar Albino rats were divided equally into 4 groups. Groups; Control group (no surgical procedure or medication), sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion group, sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion+aloe vera group and sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion+methylprednisolone group. Ischemia was performed by clamping the infrarenal abdominal aorta. 24 hours after ischemia, all animals were sacrificed. Sciatic nerve tissues were also examined histopathologically and biochemically. Ischemic fiber degeneration significantly decreased in the pre-treated with aloe vera and treated with methylprednisolone groups, especially in the pre-treated with aloe vera group, compared to the sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion group (p<0.05). A significant decrease in MDA, an increase in NRF1 level and SOD activity were observed in the groups which obtained from the AV and MP groups when compared to the sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion group. When all results were analysed it was seen that the aloe vera group was not statistically different compared to the MP group (p>0.05). Aloe vera is effective neuroprotective against sciatic nerve ischemia/reperfusion injury via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Also aloe vera was found to be as effective as MP.

3급 부정교합 환자의 수직적 골격 양상에 따른 facemask 치료 효과 비교

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the skeletal and dentoalveolar effects of facemask therapy and to compare the anchorage of a bonded expander in patients with Class III malocclusion and different vertical skeletal patterns. Twenty subjects with Class III malocclusion were included in this study and were treated with a facemask and bonded expander. Based on the FMA, subjects were divided into two groups of 10 patients each: a high vertical group (HV; mean FMA ) and an average vertical group (AV; mean FMA ). Lateral cephalograms were taken and evaluated before and after treatment. In both groups, forward movement of the maxilla and backward rotation of the mandible were observed after treatment, with no statistical differences between the groups. Vertical skeletal variables increased in both groups, but the increase of FMA was significantly larger in the HV group than the AV group. Mesial movement of maxillary molars and proclination of maxillary incisors which indicate anchorage loss of bonded expander were observed in both groups, with no significant differences between the groups. In conclusion, facemask therapy resulted in effective maxillary protraction in both HV and AV groups. However, the open bite tendency was increased more in the HV group.

Impact of squalene-based adjuvanted influenza vaccination on graft outcome in kidney transplant recipients.

Safety concerns have been raised about the use of adjuvanted vaccines after kidney transplantation. We retrospectively analyzed 65 kidney transplant (KT) recipients who received ≥1 dose of influenza vaccine (pandemic or seasonal) during the 2009-2010 campaign. Participants were classified into 2 groups: those who received a squalene-based AS03- or MF59-adjuvanted vaccine ("adjuvanted vaccination" [AV] group, n=37) and those who exclusively received non-adjuvanted vaccines ("non-adjuvanted vaccination" [NAV] group, n=28). Primary outcomes included occurrence of biopsy-proven acute graft rejection (BPAR) and graft function at months 6 and 12 after vaccination. Patients were followed up until graft loss, death, or October 2010. Four episodes of BPAR occurred during post-vaccination follow-up, with no differences between the AV and NAV groups, in terms of cumulative incidence (5.4% vs. 7.1%, respectively; P=0.581), incidence rate (0.22 vs. 0.18 episodes per 1000 transplant-days; P=0.950), or occurrence of severe episodes (T-cell-mediated BPAR of grade ≥2a) (2.7% vs. 3.6%; P=0.680). No between-group differences were seen in graft function after vaccination. Adjuvanted influenza vaccination in KT recipients seems to be safe regarding graft outcome.

Assessment of a biofilm-based culture system within zero water exchange on water quality and on survival and growth of the freshwater shrimpNeocaridina heteropoda heteropoda

The contribution of biofilm to water quality and as a food source for the culture of the freshwater shrimp Neocaridina heteropoda heteropoda was assessed in indoor aquaria using a zero water exchange system. Two successive phases were conducted to evaluate biofilm development on different substrates (polyethylene net: PN, plastic bottles: PET, agrovelo: AV) and the effect of biofilm to shrimps culture. The biofilm grown on all substrates helped to keep a good water quality by the uptake of nitrogen compounds and the production of high levels of dissolved oxygen associated to the proliferation of autotrophic microorganisms. High survival, reproduction and hatching of shrimps were achieved in all groups mainly associated with good water quality. Final biomass of the shrimps was significant higher for PN and AV groups; while specific growth rate and the levels of lipids of the shrimps yielded similar values for all treatments indicating that the three substrates allowed the growth of a biofilm that resulted in a healthy food source with similar nutritional value for shrimps. The results show that the production of N. heteropoda heteropoda could be successfully conducted by a biofilm-based culture system with no water exchange, and thus contributing to a better water use. All materials tested were suitable substrates for biofilm growth, though AV and PET could reduce significantly production costs when compared to the PN. Moreover, by the recycling and reuse of waste materials (such as plastic bottles) could contribute to the development of a responsible, sustainable and environmentally friendly culture method.

Standing up for science: The antivivisection movement and how to stand up to it.

Animal research has been and remains crucial to the development of modern medicine. The reasons for ongoing research are manifold from finding ways to treat cancer to understanding the mechanisms behind neurodegeneration to developing new vaccines against HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Nearly all of us benefit from medical treatments made possible through animal research, and with so much at stake, it is important that scientists make the case for the importance of using animals in research. With animal rights extremism at an all‐time low, there has never been a better time for scientists to overcome their reluctance to talk about the benefits of their work. Sadly, polls show that opposition to animal research among young people, for example in the UK and USA, is significantly higher than among those aged over 65 [1], [2]. In my view, this is in part because of the large amount of misinformation propagated across the Internet by opponents of animal research—the “antivivisection” (AV) movement. Moreover, the past decades have seen bouts of intense activism—including harassment, threats and violence directed towards scientists—aimed at shutting down animal research. During the same period, the scientific community have worked diligently to replace, refine and reduce the use of animals in research (http://www.nc3rs.org.uk), making much progress; however, these efforts have not been sufficient to satisfy the passions of some activists. Part of the problem is that scientists rarely engage with those who are opposed to animal research, which can leave them detached from the need to justify or explain their work. This lack of communication also creates an information vacuum in the public sphere about the need to use animals. In a recent poll in the UK, only 31% of respondents felt “fairly well informed […] about science and scientific research/development” [2]. …

Supramodal processing optimizes visual perceptual learning and plasticity

Multisensory interactions are ubiquitous in cortex and it has been suggested that sensory cortices may be supramodal i.e. capable of functional selectivity irrespective of the sensory modality of inputs (Pascual-Leone and Hamilton, 2001; Renier et al., 2013; Ricciardi and Pietrini, 2011; Voss and Zatorre, 2012). Here, we asked whether learning to discriminate visual coherence could benefit from supramodal processing. To this end, three groups of participants were briefly trained to discriminate which of a red or green intermixed population of random-dot-kinematograms (RDKs) was most coherent in a visual display while being recorded with magnetoencephalography (MEG). During training, participants heard no sound (V), congruent acoustic textures (AV) or auditory noise (AVn); importantly, congruent acoustic textures shared the temporal statistics – i.e. coherence – of visual RDKs. After training, the AV group significantly outperformed participants trained in V and AVn although they were not aware of their progress. In pre- and post-training blocks, all participants were tested without sound and with the same set of RDKs. When contrasting MEG data collected in these experimental blocks, selective differences were observed in the dynamic pattern and the cortical loci responsive to visual RDKs. First and common to all three groups, vlPFC showed selectivity to the learned coherence levels whereas selectivity in visual motion area hMT+ was only seen for the AV group. Second and solely for the AV group, activity in multisensory cortices (mSTS, pSTS) correlated with post-training performances; additionally, the latencies of these effects suggested feedback from vlPFC to hMT+ possibly mediated by temporal cortices in AV and AVn groups. Altogether, we interpret our results in the context of the Reverse Hierarchy Theory of learning (Ahissar and Hochstein, 2004) in which supramodal processing optimizes visual perceptual learning by capitalizing on sensory-invariant representations — here, global coherence levels across sensory modalities.

Electroacupuncture treatment contributes to the downregulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and motoneuron death in injured spinal cords following root avulsion of the brachial plexus

This study was performed in order to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on motoneurons and the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) following brachial plexus root avulsion (BPRA). A total of 40 female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent BPRA (5th cervical-1st thoracic) and were randomly divided into the avulsion plus EA stimulation (AV+EA) and AV groups. The AV+EA group received a continuous 20-Hz asymmetric bidirectional disperse-dense wave at the acupuncture points (acupoints) of Dazhui (DU4) and Shousanli (LI10) for 15 min on alternate days until the animals were sacrificed, at 1, 2, 3 and 6 weeks. The AV group received no treatment. The cryostat sections of the 7th cervical segments were prepared and stained with neuronal nitric oxide synthase nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) and histochemically stained and counterstained with neutral red (NR). The number of nNOS-positive motoneurons on the lesion side and survived motoneurons on both sides of the 7th cervical segments were blindly counted and compared between the two groups. The results demonstrated that the number of nNOS-positive motoneurons was significantly lower in the AV+EA group compared with that in the AV group and the percentage of survived motoneurons was significantly higher compared with that of the AV group at 2 and 3 weeks. However, the number of nNOS-positive motoneurons and the percentage of survived motoneurons were not significantly different between the two groups at 1 and 6 weeks. These results indicated that, during the early period after BPRA, EA stimulation at the acupoints of Dazhui (DU4) and Shousanli (LI10) may significantly reduce the number of nNOS-positive motoneurons and protect against motoneuron death.

50 DEVELOPMENT OF A MODIFIED STRAW LOADING METHOD FOR VITRIFICATION OF IN VITRO-PRODUCED BOVINE BLASTOCYSTS

This study evaluated a modified plastic straw method for vitrification of in vitro-produced (IVP) bovine blastocysts. A modified straw was used that has a depressed area on its inner surface to which embryos attach. The IVP blastocysts were randomly assigned into 3 groups: (1) attachment of embryos to the inner surface of a plastic straw (aV), (2) attachment of embryos to the inner surface of a modified plastic straw (maV), and (3) non-vitrified (control). The recovery rates of blastocysts were not significantly different between the aV and maV groups (95.8 v. 94.3%; P &gt; 0.05). The survival of post-thaw blastocysts did not significantly differ between the aV and maV groups (86.4 v. 88.2%; P &gt; 0.05). The total cell number of blastocysts was significantly higher in the control group than in the aV and maV groups (142 ± 21.8 v. 117 ± 29.7 and 120 ± 25.2; P &lt; 0.05), but not different between the aV and maV groups. The mRNA levels of the pro-apoptosis-related genes Bax and caspase-3 were significantly higher in the aV and maV groups than in the control group. By contrast, the mRNA levels of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1, which are anti-apoptotic genes, and of MnSOD and Prdx5, which are antioxidant-related genes, were significantly lower in the aV and maV groups than in the control group (P &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, the aV and maV methods can be used to vitrify IVP bovine blastocysts, and embryos are more easily loaded using the maV method than using the aV method. This work was partly supported by the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (grant no. PJ009587022013), IPET (grant no. 110020-5 and 112020-3), and a scholarship from the BK21 Program, Republic of Korea.

Postthaw survival of in vitro-produced bovine blastocysts loaded onto the inner surface of a plastic vitrification straw

In this study, we investigated whether vitrification of an embryo by attachment to the inner surface of a plastic straw, which requires a small volume of vitrification solution, improves the survival of thawed embryos. In vitro-produced Korean native cattle blastocysts were randomly assigned into four groups: (1) blastocysts attached to the inner surface of a plastic straw (aV); (2) blastocysts loaded into the column of a plastic straw (cV); (3) blastocysts directly dropped into liquid nitrogen (dV); and (4) nonvitrified blastocysts (control). The postthaw recovery rate did not significantly differ among the aV, dV, and cV groups (98.3% vs. 81.5% vs. 91.4%). The postthaw survival rate was greater in the control, aV, and dV groups than in the cV group (100%, 87.7%, and 81.8% vs. 26.4%, P < 0.05), but did not significantly differ among the control, aV, and dV groups. The total number of cells per blastocyst did not significantly differ among the groups (134.4 ± 38.9 in control vs. 114 ± 48.1 in aV, 105.6 ± 33.9 in dV, and 102 ± 35.1 in cV group). However, the number of apoptotic cells per blastocyst was higher in the dV and cV groups than in the control group (10.9 ± 9.6 and 14.5 ± 9.5 vs. 0.4 ± 1.4; P < 0.05), but did not significantly differ between the control and aV groups (0.4 ± 1.4 vs. 6.6 ± 9.5). In addition, the blastocoel of each blastocyst was left intact or was mechanically punctured to reduce its volume, and the blastocysts were then vitrified using the aV method. At 12 hours after thawing, the re-expansion rate did not significantly differ among the control, punctured aV, and nonpunctured aV groups (93.3% vs. 85.2% vs. 82.8%). However, at 24 hours after thawing, the hatching rate was greater in the control and punctured aV groups than in the nonpunctured aV group (75% and 62.9% vs. 37.1%; P < 0.05). The total number of cells per blastocyst was greater in the control group than in the nonpunctured aV group (143 ± 37.2 vs. 94.5 ± 18.6; P < 0.05), but did not significantly differ between the control and punctured aV groups (143 ± 37.2 vs. 119.4 ± 19.7). The number of apoptotic cells per blastocyst was greater in the nonpunctured aV group than in the control and punctured aV groups (11.3 ± 6.1 vs. 5.9 ± 5.8 and 6.3 ± 4.4; P < 0.05). Taken together, the data show that the aV method improved the survival and quality of vitrified-thawed blastocysts. Furthermore, puncture of the blastocoel increased the hatching rate and reduced the number of apoptotic cells in vitrified-thawed blastocysts generated using the aV method.

Abstract 19508: Remote Supervised Reinforcement of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Skills by Telephone Improves One-Year Retention: A Randomized-Controlled Trial

Objective: Bystander CPR is an effective way of improving the outcome of out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the survival rate of OHCA remains &lt; 10% due to rapid skill deterioration following CPR training. We explored the effect of two remote supervised review models (audio-visual [AV] and audio-visual-practice [AVP]) on CPR skill retention. Method: Family members of patients at high risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) were recruited from communities in Beijing, China. All subjects received a 90-min CPR course, and a CPR instruction booklet for review at home as needed. At the end of the course, if the subjects passed the skill test, they were randomized into one of the 3 groups (AV, AVP, and control) using sealed envelopes. The AV group was provided with a CPR instruction video (CPR-V) and asked to watch it every 3 months. The AVP group was provided with a practice dummy (designed for the project) as well as a CPR-V, and asked to practice their skills on the dummy while watching the CPR-V every 3 months. Both groups were given telephone follow up every 3 months to encourage compliance. The controls were given a placebo video without follow up. CPR skills were re-assessed after 12 months using Resusci Anne recording manikins. The subjects, the instructors, and the evaluators were blinded to the group assignment. Results: Of the 262 family members who finished the study, the retention rates of overall, and key elements of CPR skills were significantly higher in the AVP and AV groups, compared to the control group. Skill retention was higher in the AVP group compared to the AV group. Conclusion: Both review models improved long-term CPR skill retention for family members of high-risk patients with SCA. The AVP model was more effective than the AV model especially for skills related to performing high quality chest compression.