Multipotent (adult) and pluripotent stem cells for heart regeneration: what are the pros and cons?

Heart failure after myocardial infarction is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Existing medical and interventional therapies can only reduce the loss of cardiomyocytes during myocardial infarction but are unable to replenish the permanent loss of cardiomyocytes after the insult, which contributes to progressive pathological left ventricular remodeling and progressive heart failure. As a result, cell-based therapies using multipotent (adult) stem cells and pluripotent stem cells (embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells) have been explored as potential therapeutic approaches to restore cardiac function in heart failure. Nevertheless, the optimal cell type with the best therapeutic efficacy and safety for heart regeneration is still unknown. In this review, the potential pros and cons of different types of multipotent (adult) stem cells and pluripotent stem cells that have been investigated in preclinical and clinical studies are reviewed, and the future perspective of stem cell-based therapy for heart regeneration is discussed. © 2013 BioMed Central Ltd.published_or_final_versio

Current issues on the management of hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent vascular diseases in the general population and is a major contributor to cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Recent clinical trials have confirmed the benefits of treatment of hypertension to prevent stroke, congestive heart failure, and left ventricular hypertrophy. Despite the availability of many newer agent, blood pressure continues to be inadequately controlled in the majority of the hypertensive patients. There is still a lot of controversy in some of the issues in the management of hypertension. The present article summarizes some of the recent studies and published guidelines in the management of hypertension and provides some insight to these questions. Although the answers to some of these questions are still unclear, ongoing large scale studies should soon provide additional answers to these questions.published_or_final_versio

Prevalence and clinical implications of atrial fibrillation episodes detected by pacemaker in patients with sick sinus syndrome

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Management of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most commonly encountered sustained arrhythmia. The spectrum of symptomatology and presentation are broad. The goals of treatment should include (1) identification of any underlying cause(s) and/or precipitating factor(s), (2) control of ventricular rate, (3) restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm and (4) prevention of thromboembolism. The characteristics of the arrhythmia differ among patients; hence, some goals will apply in some cases and a different combination in other cases. A thoughtful, individualized approach is essential.published_or_final_versio

OTIVM, MATERIALIDADE E PAISAGEM NAS VILLAE DO ALTO ALENTEJO PORTUGUÊS EM ÉPOCA ROMANA

A arquitectura das villae foi cuidadosamente pensada para permitir o máximo des- frute de uma vivência de gosto urbano e cosmopolita. A atenção dada à inserção da construção na paisagem, as soluções para harmonizar o espaço exterior criando atmosferas favoráveis, a contemplação para o exterior e a criação de espaços e am- bientes construídos que permitissem potenciar o otium e o convivium são discutidos neste trabalho, com exemplos de sítios no Alto Alentejo

Relative versus absolute drug-therapy benefits and safety: Lessons from ARISTOTLE

Oral presentationRelative versus absolute drug-therapy benefits and safety: Lessons from ARISTOTLEpublished_or_final_versio

Clinical Potentials of Cardiomyocytes Derived from Patient-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

The lack of appropriate human cardiomyocyte-based experimental platform has largely hindered the study of cardiac diseases and the development of therapeutic strategies. To date, somatic cells isolated from human subjects can be reprogramed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and subsequently differentiated into functional cardiomyocytes. This powerful reprogramming technology provides a novel in vitro human cell-based platform for the study of human hereditary cardiac disorders. The clinical potential of using iPSCs derived from patients with inherited cardiac disorders for therapeutic studies have been increasingly highlighted. In this review, the standard procedures for generating patient-specific iPSCs and the latest commonly used cardiac differentiation protocols will be outlined. Furthermore, the progress and limitations of current applications of iPSCs and iPSCs-derived cardiomyocytes in cell replacement therapy, disease modeling, drug-testing and toxicology studies will be discussed in detail.published_or_final_versio

ALLHAT: More answers or questions?

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First experience of non-fluoroscopic magnetic electroanatomic mapping guided alcohol ablation of the atrioventricular node

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Intermittent monthly intravenous infusion of iloprost may improve the prognosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated severe pulmonary hypertension (PHT)

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