Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: A Single Center Comparison Between Remote Magnetic Navigation, Cryoballoon and Conventional Manual Pulmonary Vein Isolation

Contains fulltext : 88398.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to compare in our center the effect of different ablation techniques on intermediate term freedom from atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial tachycardia (AT) in patients affected by refractory AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively selected 94 patients who underwent AF ablation in our electrophysiological laboratory from June 2007 to December 2009. 29 patients underwent manual circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (mCPVI), 35 underwent remote magnetic navigation assisted CPVI (rmtCPVI) and 30 cryoballoon CPVI (cCPVI). Antiarrhythmic drugs were systematically stopped 2 months after the procedure (end of the "blanking period"). At a mean follow-up of 12,64 +/- 6,41 months (range 2-31), the success rate for mCPVI group was 65.5% (19 patients), 66.7 % (20 patients) for the rmtCPVI group and 65.7 % (23 patients) for the cCPVI group (p = 0.625). Procedural and fluoroscopy times were significantly reduced in the cCPVI group (both p < 0.001). Univariate Cox regression showed that no clinical variables were independently associated with recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: In our center's experience cCPVI and rmtCPVI have been demonstrated to be as effective as mCPVI. cCPVI seemed to be associated with lower procedural and fluoroscopy times

Cryoballoon Ablation for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in Septuagenarians: a Prospective Study

Contains fulltext : 87905.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)AIMS: To evaluate the effects of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in terms of feasibility, safety and success rate on a midterm follow-up period in septuagenarians undergoing ablation with the Arctic Front Cryoballoon for atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively enrolled 21 patients aged 70 years or older (14 male; age 73 +/- 2.5 years) elected to circumferential PVI with the 28mm cryoballoon for symptomatic drug resistant paroxysmal AF. A total number of 82 pulmonary veins (PV) were evidenced. Successful isolation could be obtained in all 82 (100%) PV ostia at the end of procedure. No major complication occurred during procedure. At a mean follow-up of 11.5 +/- 4.7 months following ablation, 62% of patients did not present recurrence of atrial arrhythmias. CONCLUSION: Cryoballoon ablation may be feasible and safe in older patients. Moreover a large proportion of the latter did not present AF recurrence during follow-up

Rapid method for detection of Anisakidae larvae inmarine fishes, based on UV transillumination

A rapid and sensitive detection method is proposed to evaluate the presence and vitality degree of Anisakidae larvae in marine fishes by UV diaphanoscopy. 923 fish samples belonging to seven fish species (Merluccius merluccius, Molva elongata, Sardina pilchardus, Scomber scomber, Triglia lucerna, Engraulis encrasicolus, and Trachurus trachurus) were evaluated for the presence of Anisakidae larvae by using direct observation, peptic digestion, and UV transillumination. The results obtained indicate that UV transillumination can be considered a rapid and accurate tool for routine analysis of marine fishes even under field condition

C-Kit Positive Cells from Failing Human Hearts: Role of Culturing Media on Cardiomyogenic Potentials

Background: The possibility of culturing heart cells in order to regenerate damaged tissue is a challenging problem. Recent observations have demonstrated the possibility of isolating and expanding resident cardiac stem cells, which could favor regeneration and functional improvement of the myocardial tissue.Aims: To investigate two different culturing media: one promoting c-kit cells’ growth and the other promoting differentiation in cardiac muscle cells.Methods: We obtained primary cultures from left ventricle myocardial tissues of 10 human hearts of patients with end-stage heart failure who received heart transplantation. Cells were first cultured in a medium containing high serum and low calcium/magnesium (Ca2+ /Mg2+) to promote cell growth (medium A). Than they were cultured in another medium that contained lower serum concentration and a variety of different factors in order to induce cell differentiation (medium B). The presence of c-kit, specific for stem cells, α-sarcomeric actin (SA), specific for skeletal and cardiac muscle cells, and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), specific for smooth muscle cells was studied by immune-cytochemical analysis.Results: A high percentage of c-kit+, SMA-, SA- cells was observed in medium A; in medium B with lower serum and higher Ca2+/Mg2+ concentrations cells became c-kit-, AML+, SA+. In medium A, 78% of the cells were positive for c-kit. After culturing the same cell populations in medium B with lower serum and higher Ca2+ /Mg2+ concentrations, the percentage of c-kit positive cells decreased to 21% while the cells positive for SMA and for SA increased respectively from 28 to 82% and from 0 to 59%.Conclusions: Our results confirm the presence of a high percentage of c-kit positive cells in failing human myocardium and, for the first time, suggest a key role of calcium/magnesium concentration in promoting both c-kit cells’ growth and their differentiation in human cardiac muscle.</p

Thymus vulgaris (red thyme) and Caryophyllus aromaticus (clove) essential oils to control spoilage microorganisms in pork under modified atmosphere

In recent years, it has been confirmed that essential oils (EOs) exert antimicrobial activity as they are able to inhibit cell growth and inactivate microbial cells. The application of biopreservation strategies by means of EOs opens up interesting perspectives in the food industry, including meat production. The paper aims to evaluate the effects of Thymus vulgaris (red thyme) and Caryophyllus aromaticus (cloves) EOs on the development of the spoilage population of fresh pork packaged under modified atmosphere (MAP). In particular, the research was focused on Brochothrix thermosphacta, a specific spoilage microorganism of fresh meat packed in anaerobic conditions or under MAP. Amongst seven EOs, those that showed the highest antimicrobial activity on 5 B. thermosphacta strains in vitro were: cloves [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 0.6-2.5 mg/mL], savory (MIC 2.5-5.0 mg/mL), and red thyme (MIC 2.5 to 20 mg/mL). Red thyme and cloves EOs were selected for meat treatment, by increasing the dose at 20 and 40 mg/mL respectively, to take into account the matrix effect that can reduce EO availability. In spite of the minor efficacy observed in vitro, 40 mg/mL red thyme EO strongly limited the growth of B. thermosphacta in pork samples up to day 6 of storage [below 3.0 Log colony forming unit (CFU)/g, starting from 2.0 Log CFU/g at time 0], and exerted an antimicrobial effect also on the aerobic mesophilic count. Good results were obtained also with 20 mg/mL red thyme EO. The control of B. thermosphacta growth through EOs encourages research on alternative methods for extending the shelf life of fresh meat under MAP

[Laparoscopic diagnosis of peritoneal endometriosis]

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The influence of metabolic syndrome in heart valve intervention. A multi-centric study

The effect of metabolic syndrome (MetS), defined as insulin resistance along with two or more of: obesity, atherogenic dyslipidaemia and elevated blood pressure, on postoperative complications after isolated heart valve intervention remains controversial. We hypothesized that MetS may negatively influence the postoperative course in these patients

The value of a family history of sudden death in patients with diagnostic type I Brugada ECG pattern.

We sought to investigate the value of a family history of sudden death (SD) in Brugada syndrome (BS).Comparative StudyJournal Articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe