METHODS:

Glutaraldehyde-treated pericardium from alpha-Gal-positive and GT-KO pigs, with or without pre-labeling with human anti-Gal antibodies, were implanted in rats during I month.

RESULTS: In glutaraldehyde-fixed pericardium, calcification levels were significantly lower in GT-KO pig pericardium (132.8 17DMAG mw +/- 5.8 mu g/mg) as compared with alpha-Gal-positive pig pericardium (155.7 +/- 7.1 mu g/mg) (p < 0.015). In glutaraldehyde-fixed pig pericardium followed by a mix of formaldehyde, ethanol and Tween 80 (FET), the calcification levels were lower in GT-KO pig pericardium (0.35 +/- 0.1 mu g/mg) as compared with alpha-Gal-positive pig pericardium (4.6 +/- 4.2 mu g/mg). In glutaraldehyde-fixed pig pericardium + FET pre-incubated with human anti-Gal antibodies, calcification levels were significantly greater in mu-Gal-positive pig pericardium (43.8 +/- 8.5 mu g/mg) as

compared with GT-KO pig pericardium (5.7 +/- 2.9 mu g/mg) (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the role of alpha-Gal antigen and human alpha-Gal antibodies in the calcification process of valvular bioprostheses. It is suggested that GT-KO pig pericardium could be beneficial as a new source of material for heart valve bioprostheses. J Heart Lung Transplant 2010;29:538-543 (C) 2010 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. All rights reserved.”
“A strain sensor using a stress-magnetoresistance effect of a Ni-Fe/Mn-Ir exchange-coupled magnetic selleckchem film was fabricated and evaluated. The stress magnetoresistance is used in the inverse magnetostrictive effect and the magnetoresistance effect in the magnetic film since an external stress is changed into an electric resistance in it. A compressive stress was measured by the strain sensor with a Mn-Ir (10 nm)/Ni-Fe (50 nm)/Ru (1 nm) exchange-coupled film. The change in resistivity Delta rho/rho is proportional to the applied compressive stress sigma for sigma <= 50 MPa in the strain sensor. When increasing

Ni-Fe layer thickness in the strain sensor, CH5183284 a gauge factor increased. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3362902]“
“The three most commonly used methods for estimating mesophyll conductance (g(m)) are described. They are based on gas exchange measurements either (i) by themselves; (ii) in combination with chlorophyll fluorescence quenching analysis; or (iii) in combination with discrimination against (CO2)-C-13. To obtain reliable estimates of g(m), the highest possible accuracy of gas exchange is required, particularly when using small leaf chambers. While there may be problems in achieving a high accuracy with leaf chambers that clamp onto a leaf with gaskets, guidelines are provided for making necessary corrections that increase reliability.