Pacemapping

Pacemapping (PM) is an electrophysiologic technique designed to help locating tachycardia sources by stimulating at different endocardial sites in order to reproduce the clinical tachycardia characteristics. A recorded electrocardiogram (ECG) during the clinical tachycardia has been conventionally used as reference. Yet, endocardial activation pattern during tachycardia may be utilized as well to guide the procedure. In focal tachycardia ablation, PM guide has consistently provided remarkable outcomes1, while outcomes in reentrant tachycardia ablation are less favourabl

First record of the yellow sugarcane aphid Sipha flava (Forbes) (Hemiptera Aphididae) in the European continent

The yellow sugarcane aphid Sipha flava (Forbes) is recorded for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula and also in the European continent, on the common thatching grass Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf in Oliver, in two localities of Catalonia (La Selva del Camp and Blanes, provinces of Tarragona and Girona, respectively; NE Spain). Data on its biology and distribution worldwide and notes on its pest behaviour are given. Sipha flava had been recorded previously from Azores Islands (in 1979), and recently from Morocco (in 2008)

Mechanisms of the sperm guidance, an essential aid for meeting the oocyte

In mammals, ejaculated spermatozoa must migrate into the female reproductive tract in order to reach and fertilize the oocyte (Figure 1). The number of spermatozoa that reach the oviductal isthmus (where they attach to oviductal cells and form the sperm reservoir) is small (1,2) and only ~10% of these spermatozoa in humans become capacitated (3) and acquire a state of readiness for fertilizing the oocyte. In addition, the sperm cells have a torturous and long way between the reservoir and the oocyte at the fertilization site (3–5 cm in humans) (2). These facts, together with the tiny dimensions of the gametes in comparison to the tube length make improbable the sperm arrival to the fertilization site and make evident the need for sperm guidance (4). Different guidance mechanisms appear essential for successful sperm arrival to the fertilization site: the short range mechanism such as chemotaxis (swimming up a chemoattractant gradient) (5) and the long range mechanisms such as rheotaxis (swimming against a fluid flow) and thermotaxis (the temperature-oriented cell motility).Fil: Lottero Leconte, Raquel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; ArgentinaFil: Alonso, Carlos Agustín Isidro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; ArgentinaFil: Castellano, Luciana Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; ArgentinaFil: Perez Martinez, Silvina Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; Argentin

Left Ventricular Dysfunction and Plasmatic NT-proBNP Are Associated with Adverse Evolution in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis

Aim: To investigate whether the presence of left ventricular myocardial dysfunction (LVMD) assessed by Tei index (LVTX) impacts the outcomes of healthy infants with Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis (RSVB). To explore whether N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) increases the accuracy of traditional clinical markers in predicting the outcomes. Methods: A single-centre, prospective, cohort study including healthy infants aged 1–12 months old admitted for RSVB between 1 October 2016 and 1 April 2017. All patients underwent clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic evaluation within 24 h of admission. Paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission was defined as severe disease. Results: We enrolled 50 cases of RSVB (median age of 2 (1–6.5) months; 40% female) and 50 age-matched controls. We observed higher values of LVTX in infants with RSVB than in controls (0.42 vs. 0.36; p = 0.008). Up to nine (18%) children presented with LVMD (LVTX > 0.5), with a higher incidence of PICU admission (89% vs. 5%; p < 0.001). The diagnostic performance of NT-proBNP in predicting LVMD was high (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) 0.95, CI 95% 0.90–1). The diagnostic yield of the predictive model for PICU admission that included NT-proBNP was excellent (AUC 0.945, CI 95% 0.880–1), and significantly higher than the model without NT-proBNP (p = 0.026). Conclusions: LVMD could be present in healthy infants with RSVB who develop severe disease. NT-proBNP seems to improve traditional clinical markers for outcomes

Cocaína durante a gestação e comportamento materno pós-parto em ratos

El abuso materno de cocaína durante la gestación se relaciona con negligencia, maltrato y perturbación del vínculo madre-hijo, lo que incide directamente en el desarrollo de los infantes; por esto, las diversas problemáticas neuroconductuales de los hijos de padres drogodependientes podrían atribuirse a la inadecuada conducta materna o a la exposición prenatal a la droga. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar los efectos de la administración crónica de cocaína durante la gestación en la conducta materna postparto de ratones. Para esto se asignaron aleatoriamente 21 ratones CD1 hembras gestantes para la administración de solución salina y cocaína (25 mg/kg/día y 50 mg/kg/día), desde el octavo hasta el día veintiuno de gestación. Después del parto, durante 20 días (15 minutos diarios), se registró individualmente la frecuencia de presentación de 16 índices de conducta materna mediante un etograma. Se encontró que la cocaína afectó levemente la frecuencia de la conducta materna, aunque posiblemente afecte otros parámetros como la latencia, duración y secuencia de esta conducta.Maternal cocaine abuse during pregnancy is associated to neglect, abuse, and mother-child bond disruption, which directly affects infant development; therefore, various neurobehavioral problems of children of drug-dependent parents could be attributed to inadequate maternal behavior or prenatal exposure to drugs. Thus, the aim of this research was to analyze the effects of chronic cocaine administration during pregnancy on postpartum maternal behavior. To do this, 21 CD1 pregnant female mice were randomly assigned for administration of saline solution and cocaine (25 mg/kg/day and 50 mg/kg/day), from day 8 to 21 of gestation. After delivery, for 15 minutes a day, during 20 days, the frequency of occurrence of 16 behavioral patterns of maternal behavior was individually recorded, using an ethogram. Cocaine slightly affected maternal behavior frequency, although it may have affected other parameters, such as latency, duration, and sequence of this behavior.O abuso materno de cocaína durante a gestação está relacionado com negligência, maltrato, perturbação do vínculo mãe-filho, o que incide diretamente no desenvolvimento das crianças. Por isso, as diversas problemáticas neurocomportamentais dos filhos de pais drogodependentes poderiam ser atribuídas ao inadequado comportamento materno ou à exposição prénatal à droga. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar os efeitos da administração crônica de cocaína durante a gestação no comportamento materno pós-parto de ratos. Para isso, designaram-se aleatoriamente 21 ratos CD1 fêmeas gestantes para a administração de solução salina e cocaína (25 mg/kg/dia e 50 mg/kg/dia), desde o oitavo até o 21° dia de gestação. Após o parto, durante 20 dias (15 minutos diários), registrou-se individualmente a frequência de apresentação de 16 índices de comportamento materno mediante um etograma. Constatou-se que a cocaína afetou levemente a frequência do comportamento materno, embora possivelmente afete outros parâmetros como latência, duração e sequência desse comportamento

Identification and expression of voltage-gated calcium channel Β subunits in Zebrafish

Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) play important roles in electrically excitable cells and embryonic development. The VGCC Β subunits are essential for membrane localization of the channel and exert modulatory effects on channel functions. In mammals, the VGCC Β subunit gene family contains four members. In zebrafish, there appear to be seven VGCC Β subunits including the previously identified Β1 subunit. cDNAs for six additional VGCC Β subunit homologs were identified in zebrafish, their chromosomal locations determined and their expression patterns characterized during embryonic development. These six genes are primarily expressed in the nervous system with cacnb4a also expressed in the developing heart. Sequence homology, genomic synteny and expression patterns suggest that there are three pairs of duplicate genes for Β2, Β3, and Β4 in zebrafish with distinct expression patterns during embryonic development. Developmental Dynamics 237:3842–3852, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/61457/1/21776_ftp.pd

Anatomical targets and expected outcomes of catheter-based ablation of atrial fibrillation in 2020.

Anatomical-based approaches, targeting either pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) or additional extra PV regions, represent the most commonly used ablation treatments in symptomatic patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrences despite antiarrhythmic drug therapy. PVI remains the main anatomical target during catheter-based AF ablation, with the aid of new technological advances as contact force monitoring to increase safety and effective radiofrequency (RF) lesions. Nowadays, cryoballoon ablation has also achieved the same level of scientific evidence in patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing PVI. In parallel, electrical isolation of extra PV targets has progressively increased, which is associated with a steady increase in complex cases undergoing ablation. Several atrial regions as the left atrial posterior wall, the vein of Marshall, the left atrial appendage, or the coronary sinus have been described in different series as locations potentially involved in AF initiation and maintenance. Targeting these regions may be challenging using conventional point-by-point RF delivery, which has opened new opportunities for coadjuvant alternatives as balloon ablation or selective ethanol injection. Although more extensive ablation may increase intraprocedural AF termination and freedom from arrhythmias during the follow-up, some of the targets to achieve such outcomes are not exempt of potential severe complications. Here, we review and discuss current anatomical approaches and the main ablation technologies to target atrial regions associated with AF initiation and maintenance.This work was supported by the European Regional Development Fund, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (SAF2016- 80324-R), and the Fundación Interhospitalaria para la Investigación Cardiovascular (FIC). The Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Pro-CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). Giulio La Rosa has received a fellowship grant from the joint program between the Heart Rhythm Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (ARC) and CNIC.S

Delayed Rupture of the Right Sinus of Valsalva into the Right Atrium after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Rupture of the sinus of Valsalva is an extremely rare complication after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Because it usually results from the retrograde extension of a dissection of the right coronary artery and may quickly spread to involve the entire aorta, it can cause life-threatening complications such as aortic dissection. If the dissection remains localized, it can resolve spontaneously in the first month. Our patient experienced a delayed rupture of the right sinus of Valsalva into the right atrium at approximately 3 months after PCI

Climate drives community-wide divergence within species over a limited spatial scale: evidence from an oceanic island

Geographic isolation substantially contributes to species endemism on oceanic islands when speciation involves the colonisation of a new island. However, less is understood about the drivers of speciation within islands. What is lacking is a general understanding of the geographic scale of gene flow limitation within islands, and thus the spatial scale and drivers of geographical speciation within insular contexts. Using a community of beetle species, we show that when dispersal ability and climate tolerance are restricted, microclimatic variation over distances of only a few kilometres can maintain strong geographic isolation extending back several millions of years. Further to this, we demonstrate congruent diversification with gene flow across species, mediated by Quaternary climate oscillations that have facilitated a dynamic of isolation and secondary contact. The unprecedented scale of parallel species responses to a common environmental driver for evolutionary change has profound consequences for understanding past and future species responses to climate variation

The VANDELS survey: Global properties of CIII]lambda 1908 angstrom emitting star-forming galaxies at z similar to 3

Context. Strong nebular emission is ubiquitous in galaxies that contribute to cosmic reionization at redshift za a 6. High-ionization UV metal lines, such as CIII]λ1908 A, show high equivalent widths (EW) in these early galaxies, suggesting harder radiation fields at low metallicity than low-z galaxies of similar stellar mass. Understanding the physical properties driving the observed UV nebular line emission at high-z requires large and very deep spectroscopic surveys, which are now only accessible out to za a a 4. Aims. We study the mean properties of a large representative sample of 217 galaxies showing CIII] emission at 2a <a za <a 4, selected from a parent sample of a 750 main-sequence star-forming galaxies in the VANDELS survey. These CIII] emitters have a broad range of UV luminosities, allowing for a detailed stacking analysis to characterize their stellar mass, star formation rate (SFR), and metallicity as a function of the UV emission line ratios, EWs, and the carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) abundance ratio. Methods. Stacking provides unprecedented high signal-to-noise (S/N) spectra for CIII] emitters over more than three decades in luminosity, stellar mass, and SFR. This enables a full spectral fitting to derive stellar metallicities for each stack. Moreover, we use diagnostics based on photoionization models and UV line ratios to constrain the ionization sources of the galaxies and derive the C/O abundance. Results. Reliable CIII] detections (S/Na a ¥a 3) represent a 30% of the parent sample. However, stacked spectra of non-detections (S/Na <a 3) show weak (EW a 2 A) CIII] emission, suggesting that this line is common in normal star-forming galaxies at za a a 3. On the other hand, extreme CIII] emitters (EW(CIII]) a 8 A) are exceedingly rare (a 3%) in VANDELS. The UV line ratios of the sample suggest no ionization source other than massive stars. Stacks with larger EW(CIII]) show larger EW(Lyα) and lower metallicity, but not all CIII] emitters are Lyα emitters. The stellar metallicities of CIII] emitters are not significantly different from that of the parent sample, increasing from a 10% to a 40% solar for stellar masses log(Ma/Ma) a 9a? 10.5. The stellar mass-metallicity relation of the CIII] emitters is consistent with previous works, exhibiting a strong evolution from za =a 0 to za a a 3. The C/O abundances of the sample range between 35%a? 150% solar, with a noticeable increase with FUV luminosity and a smooth decrease with the CIII] EW. Here, we discuss the CIII] emitters in the C/Oa Fe/H and the C/Oa O/H planes and we find that they follow stellar and nebular abundance trends consistent with those of Milky Way halo and thick-disk stars and local HII galaxies, respectively. A qualitative agreement is also found with chemical evolution models, which suggests that CIII] emitters at za a a 3 are experiencing an active phase of chemical enrichment. Conclusions. Our results provide new insights into the nature of UV line emitters at za a a 2a 4, paving the way for future studies at higher z using the James Webb Space Telescope