Minimizing right ventricular pacing in patients with sinus node disease and prolonged PQ interval: The impact on exercise capacity

Background: Several clinical and experimental studies have shown that unnecessary right ventricular pacing in sinus node disease can be detrimental. Inter- and intra-ventricular asyn­chrony imposed by right ventricular pacing may cause reduction in contractility and relaxation of left ventricle, worsening mitral regurgitation, regional redistribution of myocardial perfusion and oxygen consumption, and asymmetrical hypertrophy of left ventricular wall. In some patients, sinus node disease coexists with impaired atrioventricular conduction. The optimal pacing mode in this population is not determined. Minimizing right ventricular pacing can preserve inter- and intra-ventricular synchrony. On the other hand, longer atrioventricular delay may cause atrioventricular asynchrony. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the impact of minimizing right ventricular pacing in patients with DDD pacemaker implanted for sinus node disease and prolonged PQ interval on exercise capacity, cardiac function and quality of life. Methods: The study enrolled 50 consecutive patients with prolonged PQ interval who were implanted with DDD pacemaker because of sinus node disease. Each patient was treated alternately with 2 pacing modes in random order for 4-month periods: conventional dualchamber pacing and dual-chamber minimal ventricular pacing (prolonged atrioventricular delay). At the end of each phase the following tests were performed: cardiopulmonary exercise testing, echocardiographic evaluation and quality of life assessment (SF36). Results: There was no significant relationship between pacing mode and cardiopulmonary parameters, echocardiographic parameters and quality of life. Conclusions: Sequential atrioventricular pacing may be a reasonable choice for treating patients with sinus node disease and prolonged PQ interval.

Sorption of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons on selected coal sample from the Pniówek mine

Type, amount and composition of gases which form in rocks and coals during a metamorphism process depend on a number of factors in particular genetic type of original matter, way and conditions of its gathering, temperature, pressure and geological time. Sorption tests were done by the volumetric method, with the use of adsorption micro-burettes. Amajor advantage of the measurement set-up is that the surplus amounts of adsorbate can be used in experiments, which is of particular importance when handling sorbents with heterogeneous structure, such as hard coals. Sorbates used in the test program were the vapours of hexane, hex-1-ene, heptane, hept-1-ene, octane and benzene. Measurement results seem to corroborate the hypothesis that sorption of polar substance vapours is chiefly a surface process. Polarity of hard coals, mostly associated with the presence of reactive oxygen groups (nitrogen and sulphuric groups), largely affects the sorption of polar substances and in a most characteristic manner controls the sorption of apolar ones. In the case of the latter, sorption is induced by the action of the dispersive interaction force between the coal surface and the sorbate’s polar molecules. The pattern of sorption isotherms indicates that the presence of dual bond affects the sorbent-sorbate interactions and hence the sorption capacity of investigated coals

Experimental testing of methanol sorption on selected coal samples from Upper Silesian Basin

This paper summarises the results of methanol sorption on three selected coal samples from Polish collieries. These coals differ in terms of their degree of metamorphism (coal rank), petrography and elemental composition. It was found out that during the sorption of methanol, the sorption capacity is closely related to the structure of the coal surface and the amount of sorbed polar substance tends to decrease with the higher degree of metamorphism. Experimental data were plotted as isotherms. Empirical measurements were supported by thermodynamic analysis of aliphatic hydrocarbons sorption. The procedure is based on the Multisorption Model (MSM) designed for describing small molecules sorption in different types of carbonaceous materials (hard coals, lignites, active carbons)

Serum microRNA in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation.

MicroRNAs mediate posttranscriptional gene regulation. The aim of the study was to find a microRNA predictor of successful atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. A total of 109 patients undergoing first-time AF ablation were included. Nineteen patients were selected to undergo serum microRNA sequencing (study group). The sequencing data were used to select several microRNAs that correlated with 12-month recurrences after AF ablation. Those microRNAs were validated by digital droplet PCR in samples from remaining 90 patients. All patients underwent pulmonary vein isolation (RF ablation, contact force catheter, electroanatomical system). The endpoint of the study was the 12-month AF recurrence rate; the overall recurrence rate was 42.5%. In total, levels of 34 miRNAs were significantly different in sera from patients with AF recurrence compared to patients without AF recurrence. Six microRNAs (miR-183-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-32-5p, miR-107, miR-574-3p, and miR-144-3p) were validated in the whole group. Data from the validation group did not confirm the observations from the study group, as no significant differences were found between miRNAs serum levels in patients with and without recurrences 12 months after AF ablation

Results of the treatment of patients with solid tumours and liver metastases: 8 years experience of one institution

Wstęp. Leczenie chirurgiczne przerzutów nowotworów litych do wątroby powinno odbywać się w ramach zespołu wielodyscyplinarnego.Cel pracy. Celem pracy jest ocena wyników leczenia skojarzonego chorych na różne nowotwory lite z przerzutami do wątroby przez zespół wielodyscyplinarny jednego ośrodka onkologicznego w ciągu ostatnich 8 lat.Materiał i metody. Retrospektywną analizą objęto 166 chorych (84 kobiety i 82 mężczyzn) w wieku od 19 do 78 lat (średnia 58 ± 11,2), leczonych z powodu przerzutów do wątroby pierwotnych nowotworów litych o różnej lokalizacji, z wyjątkiem guzów neuroendokrynnych. Każdorazowo rozważano okołooperacyjne leczenie systemowe zgodnie z aktualnymi zaleceniami Polskiej Unii Onkologii.Wyniki. W czasie obserwacji (mediana 35 miesięcy) zmarło 46% chorych. Resekcje wątroby wykonano u 107 (65%)chorych, w tym u 19 chorych połączono je z (RF-)termoablacją zmian przerzutowych, którą wykonano jako samodzielny zabieg u dalszych 59 (36%) chorych. Śmiertelność pooperacyjna wyniosła 1,2%. Powikłania II° wg klasyfikacji Clavien-Dindo wystąpiły u 33 (19,8%) chorych, natomiast III° i IV° — u 8 (4,8%) chorych. Przeżycia 1-roczne, 3-letniei 5-letnie wyniosły odpowiednio 78%, 41% i 37%. Pięcioletnie przeżycia całkowite u chorych na raka jelita grubego po resekcjach przerzutów metachronicznych wyniosły 48%.Wnioski. Skojarzone leczenie chorych na nieendokrynne nowotwory lite z przerzutami do wątroby przez zespół wielodyscyplinarny jest bezpieczne i skuteczne. W starannie dobranej grupie chorych można osiągnąć blisko 50% całkowitych przeżyć 5-letnich. Resekcja wątroby jest optymalną metodą leczenia chirurgicznego przerzutów do wątroby.Introduction. Surgical treatment of liver metastases from solid tumours should be provided by multidisciplinary teams.Aim. The aim of the present study is to analyse results of the combined treatment of patients with different solid tumours and liver metastases by single institution multidisciplinary team for last 8 years.Material and methods. This is a retrospective analysis of 166 patients (84 females and 82 males), aged from 19 to 78 years (mean 58 ± 11.2), treated due to liver metastases from solid tumours in various primary localizations: except neuroendocrine tumours. In every patient, perioperative systemic therapy was evaluated in agreement with current recommendations of the Polish Union of Oncology.Results. In the follow-up time available (median 35 months) 46% of patients died. Liver resections were performed in 107 (65%) patients, including 19 patients in whom resections were supplemented with (RF-)thermoablations of their liver metastases. This was the sole surgical treatment in the 59 (36%) patients. Perioperative mortality was 1.2%. Grade II complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification were found in 33 (19.8%) patients, whereas grade III and IV complications were treated in 8 (4.8%) patients. One-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were respectively 78%, 41%, and 37%. Five-year overall survival in patients with colorectal carcinoma after liver resection of metachronous metastases was 48%. We conclude that combined treatment of patients with liver metastases from non-endocrine solid tumours by the multidisciplinary team is safe and effective. A nearly 50% 5-year survival is achievable in a carefully selected group of patients. We also conclude that hepatic resection is an optimal method of surgical treatment of liver metastases