Electrocardiographic signs of impaired depolarization (fragmented QRS, early ventricular repolarization, etc.) as markers of left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Aim. To study the relationship between a decrease in left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) and conventional electrocardiographic (ECG) signs associated with myocardial structure changes (pathological Q wave, ventricular arrhythmias), and relatively novel and less studied (fragmented QRS (fQRS), early ventricular repolarization (EVR)) and to evaluate their significance for identifying patients with mildly-reduced EF (mrEF).Material and methods. The study included 148 patients who were treated and examined at the Almazov National Medical Research Center. During the ECG analysis, fQRS, EVR, pathological Q wave, and ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) were assessed. Echocardiography data were analyzed. Statistical processing was carried out, including Fisher and chi-squared test, as well as correlation and ROC analysis.Results. Depending on the EF level, patients were divided into three groups: group 1 — patients with reduced EF (rEF) (<40%); group 2 — patients with mrEF (40-49%); group 3 — patients with preserved EF (pEF) (>50%). In the 1st group (with rEF), fQRS was registered in 16 (51,6%) patients, in the 2nd (with mrEF) — in 13 (44,8%), in the 3rd (with EF >50%) — in 16 (18,2%). Pathological Q wave was detected in the 1st group (rEF) in 20 (65%) patients, in the 2nd (mrEF) — in 10 (35%); in the 3rd (pEF) — in 15 (18%) (p<0,001). ROC analysis found that fQRS is more important for identifying patients with mrEF. In the 1st group (rEF), EVR was registered in 2 (6,5%) patients, in the 2nd (pEF) — in 2 (6,9%), in the 3rd (EF>50%) — in 11 (12,5%); the differences were not significant (p=0,5). The relationship of EVR, the number of PVCs and the presence of ventricular tachycardia with EF was not revealed.Conclusion. FQRS is significantly more often observed with a decrease in EF and may be a marker of an mildly-reduced EF. There were no significant correlations between EVR and EF. There was also no relationship between VAs and LV systolic dysfunction

Line-Focus Acoustic Mcroscopy Measurements of Thin-Film Elastic Constants

Thin film materials are widely used as hard, protective coatings for softer surfaces. It is known that fracture strength and hardness are related to the elastic and plastic properties [1]. The elastic constants of the film deposited on a substrate are, however, difficult to measure. By a technique which was recently discussed [2] the elastic constants of amorphous (isotropic) films and single-crystal (anisotropic) films can be obtained by measuring the velocities of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) propagating over a thin-film/ substrate specimen by the use of a line-focus acoustic microscope

Synthesis of “Silica – Carbon Nanotubes” Composite and Investigation of its Properties

A new method for synthesis of CNT-SiO2 composite was developed. Oligomethylhydridesiloxane (OMHS) was used as the SiO2 precursor. The presence of active hydrogen in the composition of OMHS made it possible to obtain chemical interaction between the surface of carbon nanotubes and the deposited silica layer. The effect of the silica film on the CNT oxidizing ability was studied. It was found that the oxidation rate of the CNT-SiO2 composite decreases approximately by an order of magnitude in comparison with as-prepared CNT. The morphology and structure of amorphous silica obtained after oxidation of the CNT-SiO2 composite were studied. The thermal stability of the CNT-SiO2 composite was also studied. The CNT-SiO2 composite was found to be thermally stable up to temperatures of 1100-1200 ºC. An increase in the calcination temperature to 1300 ºC leads to segregation of the CNT-SiO2 composite into individual components: CNT and SiO2 particles

Hydrogenation of alkylaromatics over Rh/silica

The hydrogenation, and competitive hydrogenation, of toluene, ethylbenzene, propylbenzene and the xylenes has been studied over a rhodium catalyst in the liquid phase at 323 K and 3 bar(g). The reactivity of the aromatics gave an order of para-xylene > ortho-xylene > meta-xylene > toluene > ethylbenzene ≫ propylbenzene. Kinetic analysis revealed that the order of reaction in hydrogen was typically first order while the reaction order in toluene was zero order and negative half order for ethylbenzene. The reaction order for propylbenzene and the xylenes was negative first order. Apparent activation energies were calculated and all were in the range 26–46 kJ mol−1. Competitive hydrogenation between toluene, ethylbenzene and propylbenzene revealed that the propylbenzene was the most strongly adsorbed aromatic in agreement with the strongly negative reaction order. The xylenes gave an order of reactivity of para > ortho > meta following the increasing negative reaction order. Reactions with deuterium revealed an inverse kinetic isotope effect, most likely related to the change in hybridization of the carbon from sp2 to sp3, for all reactions, except that of ortho-xylene. Rapid exchange of the methyl group hydrogens was observed with all the xylenes, whereas total exchange was noted with toluene. The generation of trans-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane was explained by the formation of two intermediates, 1,2-dimethylcyclohexene and 1,6-dimethylcyclohexene, which give the cis-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane and trans-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane, respectively

Kinetic non-reversibility of the cracking reactions and its accounting during mathematical modeling of industrial process

The paper presents the approach to the catalytic cracking modeling with consideration of the reactions' reversibility/non-reversibility depending on the current concentrations and the cracking temperature. The thermodynamic analysis of the reactions using the quantum-chemical methods allows formulating a hydrocarbons conversion scheme at the thermal equilibrium temperature between the feedstock and the catalyst. The magnitude of the current chemical attraction of reactions is a criterion of thermodynamic non-reversibility of reactions, which is determined at each stage of the calculation. It has been shown that the change in the concentrations of conversion participants and cracking temperature have a significant effect on the catalytic cracking reactions. Thus, the cyclization reactions are non-reversible up to 512.9 °C (A[rij]=6.46 kJ/mol) during the processing of feedstock with saturated hydrocarbons to aromatics ratio is 2.1 and with further temperature increasing the contribution of reverse reactions rises. Also with increasing the saturated hydrocarbons to aromatics ratio from 2.1 to 3.2 in the feedstock, the equilibrium of the reaction shifts to low temperatures from 512.9 to 508.9 °C (A[rij]=6.497 kJ/mol). It is connected with the fact that intensification of the exotermic reactions (alkylation, condensation, coke formation) under certain conditions is possible. It is an important factor in terms of catalyst deactivation and has an effect on the desired product yield

Effect of Gas Atmosphere on Catalytic Behaviour of Zirconia, Ceria and Ceria Zirconia Catalysts in Valeric Acid Ketonization

[EN] Ketonization of valeric acid, which can be obtained by lignocellulosic biomass conversion, was carried out in a fixed bed flow reactor over ZrO2, 5-20 % CeO2/ZrO2 and CeO2 both under hydrogen and nitrogen stream at 628 K and atmospheric pressure. Regardless gas-carrier 10 wt% CeO2/ZrO2 was found to show higher catalytic activity compared to zirconia per se as well as other ceria modified zirconia while ceria per se exhibited very low catalytic activity. All catalysts provided higher acid conversion in H-2 than in N-2 whereas selectivity to 5-nonanone was insensitive to gas atmosphere. XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis DRS, XPS, HRTEM methods were applied to characterize catalysts in reduced and unreduced states simulating corresponding reaction conditions during acid ketonization. XRD did not reveal any changes in zirconia and ceria/zirconia lattice parameters as well as crystalline phase depending on gas atmosphere while insertion of ceria in zirconia caused notable increase in lattice parameter indicating some distortion of crystalline structure. According to XPS, FTIR and UV-Vis methods, the carrier gas was found to affect catalyst surface composition leading to alteration in Lewis acid sites ratio. Appearance of Zr3+ cations was observed on the ZrO2 surface after hydrogen pretreatment whereas only Zr4+ cations were determined using nitrogen as a gas-carrier. These changes of catalyst's surface cation composition affected corresponding activity in ketonization probably being crucial for reaction mechanism involving metal cations catalytic centers for acid adsorption and COO- stabilization at the initial step.Financial support from the Russian Foundation of Basic Research (RFBR Grant No 11-03-94001-CSIC) is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by the Federal Program "Scientific and Educational Cadres of Russia'' (Grant No 2012-1.5-12-000-1013-002). The authors also wish to thank Dr. Evgeniy Gerasimov, Dr. Igor Prosvirin, Dr. Demid Demidov from the Department of Physicochemical Methods at the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis for TEM and XPS measurements.Zaytseva, YA.; Panchenko, VN.; Simonov, MN.; Shutilov, AA.; Zenkovets, GA.; Renz, M.; Simakova, IL.... (2013). Effect of Gas Atmosphere on Catalytic Behaviour of Zirconia, Ceria and Ceria Zirconia Catalysts in Valeric Acid Ketonization. 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Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

Features of electrocardiographic changes in non-coronarogenic syndromes in patients with COVID-19

The ongoing pandemic caused by virus SARS-CoV-2 encourages the search for ways to save the population. Since people first encountered this disease, it is being actively studied, and updating medical information is extremely valuable. Since people first encountered this disease, it is being actively studied, and updating medical information is extremely valuable. The purpose of this review is to systematize the literature on the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the cardiovascular system, focusing on changes in the surface electrocardiogram depending on the clinical course of the disease, the characteristics of the treatment and outcomes, and the possible identification of electrocardiographic predictors of complications, as well as sudden cardiac death in patients with non-coronarogenic syndromes with new virus infection (COVID-19)