Extraction of PCR-amplifiable genomic DNA from Bacillus anthracisspores

Bacterial endospore disruption and nucleic acid extractionresulting in DNA of PCR-amplifiable quality and quantity are not trivial.Responding to the needs of the Hazardous Materials Response Unit (HMRU),Laboratory Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, protocols weredeveloped to close these gaps. Effectiveness and reproducibility of thetechniques were validated with laboratory grown pure spores of Bacillusanthracis and its close phylogenetic neighbors, and with spiked soils anddamaged samples

Transcatheter ablation of arrhythmias associated with congenital heart disease

The improvement of surgical techniques resulted in significant life prolongation of many young patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, as these patients reach adulthood, their risk for late complications associated with surgery is also increased. One of the most difficult challenges associated with CHD is the high incidence of cardiac arrhythmias that arise from either the myocardial substrate created by abnormal physiology (pressure/volume changes, septal patches, and suture lines) or the presence of surgical scar. Catheter ablation is proven to be effective in treating atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in structurally normal hearts, and has also been used to treat arrhythmias in adults with congenital heart disease. In this review we provide an overview about diagnostic challenges, mapping and ablation techniques and outcome of patients undergoing transcatheter ablation procedures

Evolution of shear zones in granular materials

The evolution of wide shear zones (or shear bands) was investigated experimentally and numerically for quasistatic dry granular flows in split bottom shear cells. We compare the behavior of materials consisting of beads, irregular grains (e.g. sand) and elongated particles. Shearing an initially random sample, the zone width was found to significantly decrease in the first stage of the process. The characteristic shear strain associated with this decrease is about unity and it is systematically increasing with shape anisotropy, i.e. when the grain shape changes from spherical to irregular (e.g. sand) and becomes elongated (pegs). The strongly decreasing tendency of the zone width is followed by a slight increase which is more pronounced for rod like particles than for grains with smaller shape anisotropy (beads or irregular particles). The evolution of the zone width is connected to shear induced density change and for nonspherical particles it also involves grain reorientation effects. The final zone width is significantly smaller for irregular grains than for spherical beads.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Statin Use Is Prospectively Associated With New-Onset Diabetes After Transplantation in Renal Transplant Recipients

OBJECTIVE New-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) is frequent and worsens graft and patient outcomes in renal transplant recipients (RTRs). In the general population, statins are diabetogenic. This study investigated whether statins also increase NODAT risk in RTRs. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS From a prospective longitudinal study of 606 RTRs (functioning allograft >1year,single academic center, follow-up: median 9.6 [range, 6.6–10.2] years), 95 patients using statins were age-and sex-matched to RTRs not on statins (all diabetes-free at inclusion). RESULTS NODAT incidence was 7.2% (73.3% of these on statins). In Kaplan-Meier (log-rank test, P 5 0.017) and Cox regression analyses (HR 3.86 [95% CI 1.21–12.27]; P 5 0.022), statins were prospectively associated with incident NODAT, even independent of several relevant confounders including immunosuppressive medication and biomarkers of glucose homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that statin use is prospectively associated with the development of NODAT in RTRs independent of other recognized risk factors

Comparison of the acute outcome of two cryoballoon technologies for pulmonary vein isolation:An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Initial experience suggests that the POLARx cryoballoon system (Boston Scientific) has a similar procedural efficacy and safety as Arctic Front Advance Pro (AFA-Pro, Medtronic). We performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis comparing POLARx and AFA-Pro. Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases were searched until 12/01/2022 for studies comparing POLARx versus AFA-Pro in patients undergoing pulmonary vein (PV) isolation for AF. A total of 8 studies, involving 1146 patients from 11 European centers were included (POLARx n = 317; AFA-Pro n = 819). There were no differences in acute PV isolation, procedure time, fluoroscopy time, ablation time, minimal esophageal temperature, and risk of phrenic nerve palsy or thromboembolic events. Balloon nadir temperatures were lower for POLARx in all PVs. Compared with AFA-Pro, POLARx had a higher rate of first freeze isolation in the left inferior PV (LIPV) (odds ratio [OR]: 2.60; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.06 to 6.43; P = 0.04), higher likelihood of time-to-isolation (TTI) recording in LIPV (OR: 2.91; 95 % CI: 1.54 to 5.49; P = 0.001) and right inferior PV (OR: 3.23; 95 % CI: 1.35 to 7.74; P = 0.008). In contrast, the TTI in LIPV was longer with POLARx in comparison to AFA-Pro (mean difference: 7.61 sec; 95 % CI 2.43 to 12.8 sec; P = 0.004). In conclusion, POLARx and AFA-Pro have a similar acute outcome. Interestingly, there was a higher rate of TTI recording in the inferior PVs with POLARx. This updated meta-analysis provides new safety data on esophageal temperature and thromboembolic events

One year follow-up after cryoballoon isolation of the pulmonary veins in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Aims: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with cryoenergy delivered through a balloon is a new approach in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), but long-term follow-up is lacking. The aim of this study was to provide insight in the success rate and the incidence of recurrences. Methods and results: Patients with symptomatic AF despite anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs) were treated with cryoballoon PVI. Daily transtelephonic ECG monitoring, 24 h Holter-ECG, and an arrhythmia-focused questionnaire were used to document AF. One hundred and forty-one patients completed a follow-up of 457 ± 252 days. Before ablation, Holter-ECG showed AF in 45%, including 16% continuous AF throughout the recording. Event recording revealed a median AF burden of 26%. The questionnaire showed a median of weekly AF complaints lasting for hours. All but one patient had successful PVI with a single procedure. After ablation, AF (defined as lasting for more than 30 s) was seen in 11% of Holter-ECGs, with 1% continuous AF. The event recording showed an AF burden of 9%. The median patient reported no more AF-related symptoms. Recurrence during the first 3 months was predictive for later recurrence. A second procedure was performed in 24 patients. The freedom of AF was 59% without AADs after 1,2 procedures. Four right phrenic nerve paralyses occurred, all resolving within 6 months. No PV stenoses were observed. Conclusion: Pulmonary vein isolation with a cryothermal balloon is an effective treatment for paroxysmal AF, resulting in a clinical success rate comparable to studies involving radiofrequency ablation. Temporary right phrenic nerve paralysis is the most important complication