Incorporating enzymes into calcium alginate beads is an effective method to immobilise them and to preserve, at the same time, their catalytic activity. Sodium alginate was mixed with Aspergillus ficuum tannase in aqueous solution, and tannase-loaded calcium alginate beads were prepared using a simple droplet-based microfluidic system. Extensive experimental analysis was carried out to characterise the samples. Microscopic imaging revealed morphological differences between the surfaces of bare alginate matrix and tannase-loaded alginate beads. Thermal analysis allowed assessing the hydration contents of alginate and revealed the presence of tannase entrapped in the loaded beads, which was confirmed by vibrational spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction allowed us to conclude that alginate of tannase-loaded beads is not crystalline, which would make them suitable as carriers for possible controlled release. Moreover, they could be used in food applications to improve tea quality or clarify juices.

Background-Limited long-term data exist on patients who have undergone drug-eluting stenting of very long lesions (requiring Ն60 mm of continuous stent) in native coronary arteries ("full-metal jacket"). Methods and Results-We examined consecutive procedures taking place between March 2002 and 2007 at 2 high-volume centers in Milan, Italy. Exclusion criteria were percutaneous coronary intervention for restenosis, percutaneous coronary intervention to a bypass graft, or percutaneous coronary intervention for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI). We identified 658 full-metal jacket lesions in 617 patients. Average age of the cohort was 62.0Ϯ10.6; 32.8% were diabetic, 51.5% had a previous MI, and 33.4% had undergone a previous percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Mean ejection fraction was 52.1Ϯ10.4%. The lesion was a chronic total occlusion in 33.0%. Median duration of clinical follow-up was 39 months (interquartile range, 28 to 50). Six-month follow-up was achieved in 97% of patients; 2-year follow-up was achieved in 91%. All-cause mortality rate was 7.3%; cardiac death rate was 3.6%. Non-procedure-related MI rates were 3.5%. Target lesion revascularization rates were 23.4%. There were 17 cases of Academic Research Consortium-defined definite or probable stent thrombosis (2.6%): 5 acute, 2 subacute, 6 late, and 4 very late. Ten of the 17 cases occurred while the patient was receiving dual antiplatelet therapy; 4 of the 17 after premature termination of 1 or both antiplatelets, and 3 of the 17 occurred while the patient was receiving single-antiplatelet therapy, after having completed the prescribed course of dual antiplatelet therapy. Conclusion-When very long lesions (Ն60 mm) were treated using overlapping drug-eluting stents, 23.4% required a further procedure for restenosis at 3-year follow-up. However, MI, stent thrombosis, and cardiac mortality rates were relatively low. (Circ Cardiovasc Intervent. 2009;2:416-422.)

A polymer nanocomposite was produced by ultrasonic-assisted dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in a polycarbonate matrix using p-xylene and dichloromethane as the solvents. The filler loading was varied from 1 to 3 wt % in order to examine the effect of MWCNTs on the structure and properties of the composites. The nanocomposites were characterized by DSC, DTA, TGA, UV–vis, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy to evaluate the changes induced by the filler in the polymer matrix. UV–vis, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy measurements confirmed the presence of the dispersed phase in the composite films, while TGA and DSC analysis of the nanocomposites revealed enhanced thermal stability and decreased crystallinity, respectively, as compared to the neat polymer. The proposed composites can find application in a number of everyday products where polycarbonate is the base polymer.

The methodological aspects are here presented for the NAPPA (Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Arrays) characterization by atomic force microscopy and anodic porous alumina. Anodic Porous Alumina represents also an advanced on chip laboratory for gene expression contained in an engineered plasmid vector. The results obtained with CdK2, CDKN1A, p53 and Jun test genes expressed on NAPPA and the future developments are discussed in terms of our pertinent and recent Patents and of their possibility to overcome some limitations of present fluorescence detection in probing protein-protein interaction in both basic sciences and clinical studies.

Objectives We aimed to compare intracoronary (IC) epinephrine versus conventional treatments alone in patients with ST‐elevation myocardial infarction and refractory coronary no‐reflow during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Methods Thirty consecutive patients with severe refractory coronary no‐reflow (TIMI 0–1, MBG 0–1) during PPCI were prospectively included after initial failure of conventional treatments. Conventional treatments used in both groups included IC nitrates, thrombectomy. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors and adenosine. Patients received IC epinephrine or no epinephrine. Results Intracoronary administration of epinephrine yielded significantly better coronary flow patterns (28.6% TIMI 3, 64.3% TIMI 2, 7.1% TIMI 1, and 0% TIMI 0), compared to those after treatment with conventional agents alone (18.8% TIMI 3, 12.5% TIMI 2, 37.5% TIMI 1, and 31.3% TIMI 0) (p value between groups = .004). In the IC epinephrine vs. no epinephrine group there was a significant reduction of 30‐day composite of death or heart failure (35.7% vs. 81.25%), improvement of ejection fraction (p = .01) and ST‐segment resolution (p = .01). Conclusions The findings of this proof‐of‐concept study suggest that as compared to use of conventional agents alone, IC epinephrine provides substantial improvement of coronary flow in STEMI patients with refractory no‐reflow during PPCI that may result into improved prognosis.

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FNR is a common complication of protected SVG stenting. FNR occurs mainly in grafts with a high degeneration score, and the presence of FNR predicts post-procedural myocardial infarction.

Our study shows that, in AMI patients treated by primary PCI, a delay in coronary revascularization and AMI extension are key factors for determining depressed HRV.