Real-time optical manipulation of cardiac conduction in intact hearts

Optogenetics has provided new insights in cardiovascular research, leading to new methods for cardiac pacing, resynchronization therapy and cardioversion. Although these interventions have clearly demonstrated the feasibility of cardiac manipulation, current optical stimulation strategies do not take into account cardiac wave dynamics in real time. Here, we developed an all‐optical platform complemented by integrated, newly developed software to monitor and control electrical activity in intact mouse hearts. The system combined a wide‐field mesoscope with a digital projector for optogenetic activation. Cardiac functionality could be manipulated either in free‐run mode with submillisecond temporal resolution or in a closed‐loop fashion: a tailored hardware and software platform allowed real‐time intervention capable of reacting within 2 ms. The methodology was applied to restore normal electrical activity after atrioventricular block, by triggering the ventricle in response to optically mapped atrial activity with appropriate timing. Real‐time intraventricular manipulation of the propagating electrical wavefront was also demonstrated, opening the prospect for real‐time resynchronization therapy and cardiac defibrillation. Furthermore, the closed‐loop approach was applied to simulate a re‐entrant circuit across the ventricle demonstrating the capability of our system to manipulate heart conduction with high versatility even in arrhythmogenic conditions. The development of this innovative optical methodology provides the first proof‐of‐concept that a real‐time optically based stimulation can control cardiac rhythm in normal and abnormal conditions, promising a new approach for the investigation of the (patho)physiology of the heart

Oral sucrosomial iron is as effective as intravenous ferric carboxy‐maltose in treating anemia in patients with ulcerative colitis

Anemia is a frequent complication of ulcerative colitis, and is frequently caused by iron deficiency. Oral iron supplementation displays high rates of gastrointestinal adverse effects. However, the formulation of sucrosomial iron (SI) has shown higher tolerability. We performed a prospective study to compare the effectiveness and tolerability of oral SI and intravenous ferric carboxy‐maltose (FCM) in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission and mild‐to‐moderate anemia. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive 60 mg/day for 8 weeks and then 30 mg/day for 4 weeks of oral SI or intravenous 1000 mg of FCM at baseline. Hemoglobin and serum levels of iron and ferritin were assessed after 4, 8, and 12 weeks from baseline. Hemoglobin and serum iron increased in both groups after 4 weeks of therapy, and remained stable during follow up, without significant treatment or treatment‐by‐time interactions (p = 0.25 and p = 0.46 for hemoglobin, respectively; p = 0.25 and p = 0.26 for iron, respectively). Serum ferritin did not increase over time during SI supplementation, while it increased in patients treated with FCM (treatment effect, p = 0.0004; treatment‐bytime interaction effect, p = 0.0002). Overall, this study showed that SI and FCM displayed similar effectiveness and tolerability for treatment of mild‐to‐moderate anemia in patients with ulcerative colitis under remission

Hindcast of oil-spill pollution during the Lebanon crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean, July–August 2006

MOON (Mediterranean Operational Oceanography Network http://www.moon-oceanforecasting.eu) pro- vides near-real-time information on oil-spill detection (ocean color and SAR) and predictions [ocean fore- casts (MFS and CYCOFOS) and oil-spill predictions (MEDSLIK)]. We employ this system to study the Lebanese oil-pollution crisis in summer 2006 and thus to assist regional and local decision makers in Europe, regionally and locally. The MEDSLIK oil-spill predictions obtained using CYCOFOS high-resolution ocean fields are compared with those obtained using lower-resolution MFS hydrodynamics, and both are validated against satellite observations. The predicted beached oil distributions along the Lebanese and Syrian coasts are compared with in situ observations. The oil-spill predictions are able to simulate the northward movement of the oil spill, with the CYCO- FOS predictions being in better agreement with satellite observations. Among the free MEDSLIK param- eters tested in the sensitivity experiments, the drift factor appears to be the most relevant to improve the quality of the results.The paper was produced using the INGV MFS forecasting-sys- tem product and the OC-UCY CYCOFOS forecasting-system prod- ucts. The MODIS satellite data products were processed at the GOS-CNR-ISAC Rome laboratory using the SeaDAS software devel- oped by NASA GSFC, Greenbelt, Maryland, the HDFLook software developed by The Laboratoire d’Optique Atmosphérique, Univer- sity of Lille, France, and the MS2GT tool box developed by the Uni- versity of Colorado. Procedures for oil-spill detection were developed in the ENVI environment. Processed ENVISAT-ASAR data were made available by Telespazio and JRC. Part of this work was carried out with the support of the PRIMI project (ASI Contract No. I/094/06/0) financed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).In press4.6. Oceanografia operativa per la valutazione dei rischi in aree marineJCR Journalreserve

Hindcast of oil-spill pollution during the Lebanon crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean, July–August 2006

MOON (Mediterranean Operational Oceanography Network http://www.moon-oceanforecasting.eu) provides near-real-time information on oil-spill detection (ocean color and SAR) and predictions [ocean forecasts (MFS and CYCOFOS) and oil-spill predictions (MEDSLIK)]. We employ this system to study the Lebanese oil-pollution crisis in summer 2006 and thus to assist regional and local decision makers in Europe, regionally and locally. The MEDSLIK oil-spill predictions obtained using CYCOFOS high-resolution ocean fields are compared with those obtained using lower-resolution MFS hydrodynamics, and both are validated against satellite observations. The predicted beached oil distributions along the Lebanese and Syrian coasts are compared with in situ observations. The oil-spill predictions are able to simulate the northward movement of the oil spill, with the CYCOFOS predictions being in better agreement with satellite observations. Among the free MEDSLIK parameters tested in the sensitivity experiments, the drift factor appears to be the most relevant to improve the quality of the results.Published140–153JCR Journalrestricte

Hindcast of Oil Spill Pollution during the Lebanon Crisis, July-August 2006

The Mediterranean Operational Oceanography Network (MOON ) provides near-real-time information on oil spill detection and predictions that have been used during the Lebanese oil pollution crisis in summer 2006. A MOON decision support system for oil spill monitoring and prediction comprising ocean colour satellite and SAR images, ocean current forecast (MFS-Mediterranean Forecasting System and CYCOFOS-CYprus Coastal Ocean Forecasting & Observing System) and the MEDSLIK oil spill model has been developed. The oil spill predictions obtained with MEDSLIK coupled to the CYCOFOS high-resolution ocean fields are compared with the oil spill predictions obtained using the lower resolution MFS hydrodynamics and both are validated against satellite observations. The predicted beached oil quatity along the Lebanese and Syrian coasts are compared with the in-situ observations. It is found that predictions with both CYCOFOS and MFS ar capable to simulate the northward movement of the oil, with the higher resolution CYCOFOS predictions in better agreement with satellite observations. Among the free MEDSLIK oil spill parameters tested in the sensitivity experiments there are the wind corrections (wind factor and angle) and the depth of coupling between eulerian fields and wind correction. Among them the drift factor appeared the most relevant in order to improve the quality of results suggesting that operational models such as MFS and CYCOFOS still lack of enought resolution and physical process at the air-sea interface. The oil moved from Lat 33°40'N Lon 35°24.75'E northward toward Syria, which was reached in 10 days at Lat 34° 38.451'N Lon 35° 58.377'E; the oil movement is followed up to August 6 when the oil reached 35.5°N.Not submitted4.6. Oceanografia operativa per la valutazione dei rischi in aree marineJCR Journalope