Endo-Epicardial Homogenization of the Scar Versus Limited Substrate Ablation for the Treatment of Electrical Storms in Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

ObjectivesThis study investigated the impact on recurrences of 2 different substrate approaches for the treatment of these arrhythmias.BackgroundCatheter ablation of electrical storms (ES) for ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) has shown moderate long-term efficacy in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.MethodsNinety-two consecutive patients (81% male, age 62 ± 13 years) with ischemic cardiomyopathy and ES underwent catheter ablation. Patients were treated either by confining the radiofrequency lesions to the endocardial surface with limited substrate ablation (Group 1, n = 49) or underwent endocardial and epicardial ablation of abnormal potentials within the scar (homogenization of the scar, Group 2, n = 43). Epicardial access was obtained in all Group 2 patients, whereas epicardial ablation was performed in 33% (14) of these patients.ResultsMean ejection fraction was 27 ± 5. During a mean follow-up of 25 ± 10 months, the VAs recurrence rate of any ventricular tachycardia (VTs) was 47% (23 of 49 patients) in Group 1 and 19% (8 of 43 patients) in Group 2 (log-rank p = 0.006). One patient in Group 1 and 1 patient in Group 2 died at follow-up for noncardiac reasons.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that ablation using endo-epicardial homogenization of the scar significantly increases freedom from VAs in ischemic cardiomyopathy patients

Ancient pigs reveal a near-complete genomic turnover following their introduction to Europe

Archaeological evidence indicates that pig domestication had begun by ~10,500 y before the present (BP) in the Near East, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) suggests that pigs arrived in Europe alongside farmers ~8,500 y BP. A few thousand years after the introduction of Near Eastern pigs into Europe, however, their characteristic mtDNA signature disappeared and was replaced by haplotypes associated with European wild boars. This turnover could be accounted for by substantial gene flow from local Euro-pean wild boars, although it is also possible that European wild boars were domesticated independently without any genetic con-tribution from the Near East. To test these hypotheses, we obtained mtDNA sequences from 2,099 modern and ancient pig samples and 63 nuclear ancient genomes from Near Eastern and European pigs. Our analyses revealed that European domestic pigs dating from 7,100 to 6,000 y BP possessed both Near Eastern and European nuclear ancestry, while later pigs possessed no more than 4% Near Eastern ancestry, indicating that gene flow from European wild boars resulted in a near-complete disappearance of Near East ancestry. In addition, we demonstrate that a variant at a locus encoding black coat color likely originated in the Near East and persisted in European pigs. Altogether, our results indicate that while pigs were not independently domesticated in Europe, the vast majority of human-mediated selection over the past 5,000 y focused on the genomic fraction derived from the European wild boars, and not on the fraction that was selected by early Neolithic farmers over the first 2,500 y of the domestication process

Born Free ? New Evidence for the Status of Sus scrofa at Neolithic Çayönü Tepesi (Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey)

A renewed analysis was undertaken of the Sus remains from all habitation phases at Neolithic Çayönü Tepesi, a site which spans more than two millennia and has been considered as among the oldest domestication sites of the pig in Western Asia. The research included age at death estimations, osteometrical analysis of both dental and postcranial material, and the recording of a dental defect (Linear Enamel Hypoplasia or LEH). The analysis revealed a diachronic trend towards younger ages at death, smaller body size, shorter dentition and an increasing frequency of LEH. The results, however, cannot easily be interpreted within the simple dichotomy of "domestic " versus "wild "populations, instead, they show gradual and slow changes and not sudden, dramatic events. This suggests a gradual intensification of the relationship between humans and Sus, a. process that started, early but developed only slowly. The data, support the hypothesis that the Sus population at and around Çayönü lived in a relationship with humans, that was intermediary between "wild" and "domestic ".Un réexamen des restes de Sus provenant, des différentes phases d 'occupation de Çayönü a. été entrepris. Le site néolithique, habité pendant plus de deux millénaires, est un des lieux où l 'on peut le mieux observer les premières traces de domestication du porc. L 'analyse repose sur l 'estimation de l 'âge de la mort, l 'analyse ostéométrique des éléments dentaires et crâniens et. le relevé d 'une anomalie dentaire (l'Hypoplasie linéaire de l'émail ou HLE). Cet examen montre des modifications au cours du temps qui s'expriment par un abattage des individus à un plus jeune âge, une diminution de la stature des animaux, une réduction, de la taille des dents et une augmentation de la fréquence de HLE. Les résultats obtenus ne doivent cependant pas être interprétés comme une simple dichotomie où les populations "domestiques " s 'opposeraient aux "sauvages ". En effet, on observe des changements lents et progressifs et non pas des événements soudains et dramatiques. Ceci suggère une intensification graduelle des relations entre humains et Sus, processus qui débuta, tôt et connut un lent développement. Les données étayent l 'hypothèse que la population de Sus à Çayönü et dans ses environs avait des rapports avec les humains qui n 'étaient pas ceux que l 'homme entretient soit avec le porc "sauvage " soit avec le porc "domestique " mais qui indiquent un état, intermédiaire.Ervynck Anton, Dobney Keith, Hongo Hitomi, Meadow R. Born Free ? New Evidence for the Status of Sus scrofa at Neolithic Çayönü Tepesi (Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey). In: Paléorient, 2001, vol. 27, n°2. pp. 47-73