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Background and Objectives: This is a propensity-matched, single-center study of limited versus extended resection for type A acute aortic dissection (AAAD). Materials and Methods : This study collected retrospective data for 440 patients with acute type A aortic dissection repairs (limited resection, LR-215; extended resection, ER-225), of which 109 pairs were propensity-matched to LR versus ER. Multivariate analysis was performed for inpatient death, long-term survival and the composite outcome of inpatient death/TIA/stroke. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were compared at 1, 3, 5, 10 and 15 years using the log-rank test. Results : Mean age was 66.9 ± 13 years and mean follow-up was 5.3 ± 4.7 years. A total of 48.9% had LR. In-hospital mortality was 10% (LR: 6% vs. ER: 13.8%, p < 0.01). ER, NYHA class, salvage surgery and additional procedures were predictors of increased mortality in unmatched data. Propensity-matched data showed no difference in TIA/stroke rates, LOS, inpatient mortality or composite outcomes. LR had better survival (LR: 77.1% vs. ER: 51.4%, p < 0.001). ER (OR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.27, 3.08, p = 0.003) was a significant predictor of worse long-term survival. At 15 years, aortic re-operation was 17% and freedom from re-operation and death was 42%. Conclusions : Type A aortic dissection repair has high mortality and morbidity, although results have improved over two decades. ER was a predictor of worse perioperative results and long-term survival.

Pneumonia is a worldwide threat, making discovery of novel means to combat lower respiratory tract infection an urgent need. Manipulating the lungs' intrinsic host defenses by therapeutic delivery of certain pathogen-associated molecular patterns protects mice against pneumonia in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent manner. Here we show that antimicrobial ROS are induced from lung epithelial cells by interactions of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) with mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1). The ODN-VDAC1 interaction alters cellular ATP/ADP/AMP localization, increases delivery of electrons to the electron transport chain (ETC), increases mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), differentially modulates ETC complex activities and consequently results in leak of electrons from ETC complex III and superoxide formation. The ODN-induced mitochondrial ROS yield protective antibacterial effects. Together, these studies identify a therapeutic metabolic manipulation strategy to broadly protect against pneumonia without reliance on antibiotics., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: MJT and SEE are authors on U.S. patent 8,883,174, “Stimulation of Innate Resistance of the Lungs to Infection with Synthetic Ligands.” MJT and SEE own stock in Pulmotect, Inc. All other authors declare that no conflicts of interest exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Wang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Primary ciliary dyskinesia, with or without situs abnormalities, is a rare lung disease that can lead to an irreversible lung damage that may progress to respiratory failure. Lung transplant can be considered in end-stage disease. This study describes the outcomes of the largest lung transplant population for PCD and for PCD with situs abnormalities, also identified as Kartagener's syndrome. Retrospectively collected data of 36 patients who underwent lung transplantation for PCD from 1995 to 2020 with or without SA as part of the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons Lung Transplantation Working Group on rare diseases. Primary outcomes of interest included survival and freedom from chronic lung allograft dysfunction. Secondary outcomes included primary graft dysfunction within 72 h and the rate of rejection ≥A2 within the first year. Among PCD recipients with and without SA, the mean overall and CLAD-free survival were 5.9 and 5.2 years with no significant differences between groups in terms of time to CLAD (HR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.27-3.14, p = 0.894) or mortality (HR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.14-1.43, p = 0.178). Postoperative rates of PGD were comparable between groups; rejection grades ≥A2 on first biopsy or within the first year was more common in patients with SA. This study provides a valuable insight on international practices of lung transplantation in patients with PCD. Lung transplantation is an acceptable treatment option in this population., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Marro, Leiva-Juárez, D’Ovidio, Chan, Van Raemdonck, Ceulemans, Moreno, Kindelan, Krueger, Koutsokera, Ehrsam, Inci, Yazicioglu, Yekeler, Boffini, Brioude, Thomas, Pizanis, Aigner, Schiavon, Rea, Anile, Venuta and Keshavjee.)