内容摘要：Doctors already know that heart attacks, especially severe ones, are a bit more common on Mondays generally — and in the morning, when blood is more clot-prone.

Doctors already know that heart attacks, especially severe ones, are a bit more common on Mondays generally — and in the morning, when blood is more clot-prone.

Revivicor, a United Therapeutics subsidiary, produces kidneys and hearts with 10 gene edits, “knocking out” pig genes that trigger hyper-rejection and excessive organ growth and adding some human genes to improve compatibility. Maryland used hearts with 10 gene edits in its two xenotransplants. Looney also got a kidney with 10 gene edits, based on Locke’s research when she worked in Alabama.While Montgomery is thrilled with Looney’s progress, he’s done most work using Revivicor pigs with just

, in a xenotransplant last April and in research with the deceased.“Our feeling is, you know, less is more,” said Montgomery, noting it’s easier to mass produce pigs with fewer gene alterations. Looney’s transplant offers a chance to compare “really how much difference those additional gene edits are making.”In Boston, eGenesis has still another approach – a whopping 69 gene edits. In addition to 10 genetic alterations to improve human compatibility, genes linked to certain pig viruses also are inactivated.

Researchers feel pressure to show if pig organs can keep people alive much longer than a few months, said eGenesis’ Curtis. If not, the question will be “do we have the right gene edits?”The balance is choosing participants sick enough to qualify but not so sick they have no chance.

“There’s a tremendous number of patients who would be very willing, very willing to do this,” said Dr. Silke Niederhaus of the University of Maryland, who isn’t involved in xenotransplant research but watches it closely.

Niederhaus became a kidney transplant surgeon because around her 12th birthday, one saved her life. That kidney lasted three decades. When it failed, it took five years to find another. So she understands the draw of pig research, and urges people to learn their odds of getting a human kidney before volunteering.He has just said repeatedly throughout this postseason that he thinks the coaches shouldn’t be part of it — reiterating that after the Panthers eliminated the Hurricanes on Wednesday night, even going as far as convincing Brind’Amour to sit it out himself. In that moment, Maurice said, nothing should take the attention off the players on the two teams that just played a series.

“I don’t believe that the coaches should shake players’ hands at the end,” Maurice said. “There’s this long list of people in suits and track suits. We had like 400 people on the ice. They’re all really important to our group. But not one of them was in the game.”So, just as he did after the Round 2 win over Toronto, Maurice and his staff shook hands with Brind’Amour and other members of the Carolina staff. That happened near the benches, while the players partook in the traditional handshake line down the center of the ice.

Maurice said several weeks ago that he isn’t sure when the post-round handshake expanded to include coaches, and figures someone years ago did it just to either be seen or grab some television time. He said when he started coaching, people in the suits weren’t in those handshake moments.This season, he’s been trying to amend the tradition. And he thanked Brind’Amour for taking a risk, as Maurice said, in agreeing with him.