Acute mitral block: pulse field ablation plus radiofrequency ablation when compared to radiofrequency ablation plus ethanol injection of vein of Marshall.

This retrospective study evaluated two groups: patients receiving RFA for PVI, posterior wall isolation, mitral isthmus, and coronary sinus (CS) ablation with adjunctive VOM ethanol injection (VOM/RFA ALL (N = 53)), and patients receiving PVI with PFA using pentaspline catheter followed by mitral isthmus and CS ablation with RFA (PFA PV + PW/RFA MITRAL (N = 12)). We hypothesized that PFA for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) facilitates mitral block without adjunctive vein of Marshall (VOM) ethanol injection. Mitral block was achieved in 92.

Ten Steps in Adoption of Emerging Procedural Techniques: An Experience With Ethanol Ablation of Vein of Marshall (VOM).

Proceduralists must update their skill sets to provide patients with better care because of the addition of new and effective strategies post-training. For example, the current procedural strategy of pulmonary vein isolation for treating persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is inadequate. However, the addition of ethanol ablation of the vein of Marshall (VOM), a relatively new procedural technique, can improve outcomes.

Block of branching portion of bundle of His from catheter shaft during ablation of left ventricular outflow tract ventricular premature complexes.

Ventricular premature contractions are often located in the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). Components of the normal atrioventricular conduction apparatus are located just below the aortic valve in proximity to the membranous septum, between the noncoronary cusp and right coronary cusp. We present a case of injury to the bundle of His during an ablation of a ventricular premature contraction in the LVOT below the left coronary cusp, remote from the bundle of His, due to pressure from the proximal shaft of the catheter between the noncoronary cusp and the right coronary cusp.

Effect of almond consumption on vascular function in patients with coronary artery disease: a randomized, controlled, cross-over trial.

Objective: Almonds reduce cardiovascular disease risk via cholesterol reduction, anti-inflammation, glucoregulation, and antioxidation. The objective of this randomized, controlled, cross-over trial was to determine whether the addition of 85 g almonds daily to a National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Step 1 diet (ALM) for 6 weeks would improve vascular function and inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Research Design And Methods: A randomized, controlled, crossover trial was conducted in Boston, MA to test whether as compared to a control NCEP Step 1 diet absent nuts (CON), incorporation of almonds (85 g/day) into the CON diet (ALM) would improve vascular function and inflammation.

Implantable defibrillators in long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Sudden death is often the first manifestation in inherited cardiac arrhythmia syndromes. Patients with long QT syndrome who have an episode of syncope while on beta-blockade should be offered an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). In Brugada syndrome and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, ICDs are often the most effective treatment of primary and secondary prevention of cardiac arrest.

Protein kinase C-β contributes to impaired endothelial insulin signaling in humans with diabetes mellitus.

Background: Abnormal endothelial function promotes atherosclerotic vascular disease in diabetes. Experimental studies indicate that disruption of endothelial insulin signaling, through the activity of protein kinase C-β (PKCβ) and nuclear factor κB, reduces nitric oxide availability. We sought to establish whether similar mechanisms operate in the endothelium in human diabetes mellitus.

Apricoxib upregulates 15-PGDH and PGT in tobacco-related epithelial malignancies.

Background: Despite focused research in conventional therapies and considerable advances in the understanding of the molecular carcinogenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the 5-year survival rate for patients with advanced disease remains ∼15-20%. The major causes of HNSCC-related deaths are cervical node and distant metastasis. E-cadherin has a key role in epithelial intercellular adhesion and its downregulation is a hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is associated with invasion, metastasis, and poor prognosis.

Snail controls the mesenchymal phenotype and drives erlotinib resistance in oral epithelial and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.

Objective: The presence of regional metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common and adverse event associated with poor prognosis. The authors' recent work on human HNSCC tissues underlies Snail's role as a molecular prognostic marker for HNSCC. Snail positivity is significantly predictive of poorly differentiated, lymphovascular invasive, and regionally metastatic tumors.

Effect of sulfasalazine on inflammation and endothelial function in patients with established coronary artery disease.

Inflammation is critical for atherosclerosis development and may be a target for risk-reduction therapy. In experimental studies, activation of the inflammatory regulator, nuclear factor kappa B (NFlB), contributes to endothelial activation and reduced nitric oxide production. We treated patients with coronary artery disease with sulfasalazine, an inhibitor of NFκB, and placebo in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study design.

New paradigms in the prevention of sudden cardiac arrest and heart failure treatment.

Congestive heart failure is a very real public health issue not only in the United States, but worldwide. Mortality in patients with congestive heart failure is typically either sudden cardiac death or pump failure. Paradoxically, patients with less severe heart failure are at higher relative risk of sudden cardiac death.

Effects of cranberry juice consumption on vascular function in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Cranberry juice contains polyphenolic compounds that could improve endothelial function and reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

Objective: The objective was to examine the effects of cranberry juice on vascular function in subjects with coronary artery disease.

Design: We completed an acute pilot study with no placebo (n = 15) and a chronic placebo-controlled crossover study (n = 44) that examined the effects of cranberry juice on vascular function in subjects with coronary artery disease.

Effects of Concord grape juice on ambulatory blood pressure in prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension.

Background: Consumption of flavonoid-containing foods may be useful for the management of hypertension.

Objective: We investigated whether 100% Concord grape juice lowers blood pressure in patients with prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension.

Design: We conducted a double-blind crossover study to compare the effects of grape juice (7 mL · kg⁻¹ · d⁻¹) and matched placebo beverage on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure, stress-induced changes in blood pressure, and biochemical profile.

The role of ZEB1 in the inflammation-induced promotion of EMT in HNSCC.

Objectives: To determine the role of ZEB1 in the inflammation-induced promotion of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Study Design: A molecular biology study. Real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemical staining of human HNSCC tissue sections were used to determine how inflammation affects the transcriptional repressor, ZEB1.

Snail promotes CXCR2 ligand-dependent tumor progression in non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Purpose: As a transcriptional repressor of E-cadherin, Snail has predominantly been associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and metastasis. However, other important Snail-dependent malignant phenotypes have not been fully explored. Here, we investigate the contributions of Snail to the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Proinflammatory mediators upregulate snail in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Inflammatory cytokines have been implicated in the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Herein we investigate the mechanisms by which interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) might contribute to Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in HNSCC.

Experimental Design: We evaluated the effect of IL-1beta on the molecular events of EMT in surgical specimens and HNSCC cell lines.

Grapes and cardiovascular disease.

Epidemiological studies suggest that consumption of wine, grape products, and other foods containing polyphenols is associated with decreased risk for cardiovascular disease. The benefits of wine consumption appear to be greater than other alcoholic beverages. Experimental studies indicate that grape polyphenols could reduce atherosclerosis by a number of mechanisms, including inhibition of oxidation of LDL and other favorable effects on cellular redox state, improvement of endothelial function, lowering blood pressure, inhibition of platelet aggregation, reducing inflammation, and activating novel proteins that prevent cell senescence, e.

The brachial artery remodels to maintain local shear stress despite the presence of cardiovascular risk factors.

Objective: Under physiological conditions, arteries remodel in response to changes in blood flow to maintain local shear stress. Risk factors and developing atherosclerosis may be associated with maladaptive remodeling that produces relatively large arteries with low levels of shear stress. Recent studies have shown that the brachial artery and other peripheral arteries are enlarged in patients with risk factors and cardiovascular disease, and we tested the hypothesis that this finding represents maladaptive remodeling.

Tumor response to combination celecoxib and erlotinib therapy in non-small cell lung cancer is associated with a low baseline matrix metalloproteinase-9 and a decline in serum-soluble E-cadherin.

Introduction: Cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression may mediate resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition through prostaglandin E2-dependent promotion of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Suppression of epithelial markers, such as E-cadherin, can lead to resistance to erlotinib. Prostaglandin E2 down-regulates E-cadherin expression by up-regulating transcriptional repressors, including ZEB1 and Snail.

Inflammation, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance.

Inflammation is an important contributor to lung tumor development and progression. In addition, inflammatory signaling may promote epithelial to mesenchymal transition, development of aggressive metastatic tumor phenotypes, and play a role in resistance to targeted therapies. New insights in inflammatory signaling have led to the evaluation of combination therapies that target these specific pathways.

Inflammation and lung carcinogenesis: applying findings in prevention and treatment.

Lung carcinogenesis is a complex process requiring the acquisition of genetic mutations that confer the malignant phenotype as well as epigenetic alterations that may be manipulated in the course of therapy. Inflammatory signals in the lung cancer microenvironment can promote apoptosis resistance, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and secretion of proangiogenic and immunosuppressive factors. Here, we discuss several prototypical inflammatory mediators controlling the malignant phenotype in lung cancer.

Cyclooxygenase-2-dependent activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 by interleukin-6 in non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are elevated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These molecules affect numerous cellular pathways, including angiogenesis and apoptosis resistance, and, therefore, may act in concert in NSCLC.

Experimental Design: We examined IL-6 and phosphorylated STAT3 in COX-2-overexpressing [COX-2 sense-oriented (COX-2-S)] NSCLC cells and control cells.