Left ventricular scar burden specifies the potential for ventricular arrhythmogenesis: an LGE-CMR study.

Introduction: The extent of left ventricular (LV) scar, characterized by late gadolinium enhancement cardiac MRI (LGE-CMR), has been shown to predict the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias in implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipients. However, the specificity of LGE-CMR for sudden cardiac death (SCD) versus non-SCD is unclear. The aim of this retrospective, observational study was to evaluate this relationship in a cohort of ICD recipients.

The relationship between left ventricular scar and ventricular repolarization in patients with coronary artery disease: insights from late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging.

Aims: The markers of ventricular repolarization corrected QT interval (QTc), QT dispersion (QTD) and Tpeak-to-Tend interval (Tpeak-end) have shown an association with sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the general population. However, their mechanistic relationship with SCD is unclear. The study aim was to evaluate the relationship between QTc, QTD, and Tpeak-end, and the extent and distribution of left ventricular (LV) scar in patients with coronary artery disease at high SCD risk.

Qualitative application of the theory of planned behavior to understand beverage consumption behaviors among adults.

Despite strong scientific data indicating associations among sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and numerous adverse health outcomes, little is known about culturally specific beliefs and potential individual-level behavioral strategies to reduce SSB intake. The primary objective of this formative study targeting adults residing in rural southwest Virginia was to apply the Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate culturally specific attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control constructs related to the consumption of SSB, water, and artificially sweetened beverages. Using a homogenous sampling strategy, eight focus groups were conducted with 54 adult participants who exceeded recommendations of <1 cup of SSB/day.

Photoplethysmography as a Potential Alternative to Electrocardiography for Recording Heart Rate Intervals Used in Variability Analysis.

This study investigates the use of photoplethysmography (PPG) as a comfortable alternative to electrocardiography (ECG) for heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. Although HRV is typically analyzed from an ECG trace, PPG poses a likely alternative, as arterial pulsations and peripheral tissue perfusion (as measured by PPG) are coupled with cardiac electrical activity (as measured by ECG). PPG may be more desirable in some clinical circumstances, as a fingertip optical sensor is more comfortable for patients than ECG electrodes, and can reduce waste by not needing to be disposed after each use.

Pericardial disease--anatomy and function.

Imaging of patients with suspected or known pericardial disease remains challenging. Echocardiography is the first-line investigation for pericardial disease but it has specific limitations in terms of its abilities to visualise the pericardium fully and to identify extracardiac pathology. Cardiac cross-sectional imaging by both MRI and CT has developed significantly and now has an important role in the investigation of pericardial disease.

Augmented LPS responsiveness in type 1 diabetes-derived osteoclasts.

Bone abnormalities are frequent co-morbidities of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and are principally mediated by osteoblasts and osteoclasts which in turn are regulated by immunologic mediators. While decreased skeletal health in T1D involves alterations in osteoblast maturation and function, the effect of altered immune function on osteoclasts in T1D-associated bone and joint pathologies is less understood. Here T1D-associated osteoclast-specific differentiation and function in the presence and absence of inflammatory mediators was characterized utilizing bone marrow-derived osteoclasts (BM-OCs) isolated from non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, a model for spontaneous autoimmune diabetes with pathology similar to individuals with T1D.

Right ventricular blood cyst causing outflow tract obstruction in an adult.

Blood cysts are benign intracardiac masses that are well described in infants. We present a rare adult presentation of a blood cyst tethered to the right ventricular wall and the tricuspid valve causing right ventricular outflow obstruction. Multimodality imaging approach was found to be of great importance in the diagnosis and treatment of this patient.

Organochlorine pesticides in soil under irrigated cotton farming systems in Vertisols of the Namoi Valley, north-western New South Wales, Australia.

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) such as DDT and DDE have been detected in the surface 0.2m of Vertisols in the lower Namoi Valley of north western New South Wales, Australia even though they have not been applied to crops since 1982. However, their presence in the deeper soil horizons has not been investigated.

Troponin-positive chest pain with unobstructed coronary arteries: definitive differential diagnosis using cardiac MRI.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the outcome of cardiac MRI (CMRI) with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) at outpatient follow-up in a consecutive series of patients with troponin-positive chest pain but unobstructed coronary arteries at the index admission.

Methods: The study group comprised 91 consecutive patients who presented to our institution with cardiac chest pain, elevated troponin I and unobstructed coronary arteries on coronary angiography. All patients underwent an outpatient CMRI with LGE imaging in order to establish a definitive diagnosis.

Provision of information about malignant spinal cord compression: perceptions of patients and staff.

Background: Various guidelines have highlighted the importance of patients being given information on malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC), both when diagnosed with the condition and as a tool to aid early detection.

Aim: To determine patient and staff views on the provision of MSCC information to patients with a diagnosis of or considered to be at high risk of developing MSCC.

Methods: Patients with MSCC admitted to a large regional cancer centre in Scotland over a 6-month period were interviewed.

SCOTCERV: a phase II trial of docetaxel and gemcitabine as second line chemotherapy in cervical cancer.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the response rate and response duration of cervical cancer previously treated by cisplatin (with or without radiation) to a combination of docetaxel and gemcitabine. Secondary endpoints were assessment of toxicity and quality of life (QoL) of patients receiving the treatment.

Methods: This was a multicentre phase II trial of 3 weekly docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) day 1 (reduced to 60 mg/m(2) after 32 cycles had been administered) and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) (days 1 and 8).

Video-assisted thoracic surgery systematic mediastinal nodal dissection and stage migration: impact on clinical pathway.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the role of routine systematic mediastinal nodal dissection (SND) performed during video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) major pulmonary resections (VMPRs) as a staging strategy for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), compared with preoperative staging by conventional positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) imaging.

Methods: All patients suspected of having early lung cancer (T1-2, N0-1 and M0) were staged preoperatively by CT/PET. During VMPR, all lymph nodes on the right side at stations 2-4, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 and on the left stations 4-6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 3 when indicated were dissected en bloc.

The extent of left ventricular scar quantified by late gadolinium enhancement MRI is associated with spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias in patients with coronary artery disease and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.

Background: Characterization of sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk remains a challenge in the application of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy. Late gadolinium enhancement cardiac MRI (LGE-CMR) can accurately identify myocardial scar. We performed a retrospective, single-center observational study to evaluate the association between the extent and distribution of left ventricular scar, quantified using LGE-CMR, and the burden of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with coronary artery disease and ICDs.

Left ventricular true and false aneurysms identified by cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Left ventricular aneurysms are uncommon complications of myocardial infarction. However, it is important to identify them because they are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. True aneurysms tend to be managed conservatively whereas false aneurysms, because of the risk of rupture, are usually treated with urgent surgery.

Imaging hypertrophic heart diseases with cardiovascular MR.

The assessment of ventricular hypertrophy is an increasingly common indication for cardiac MR (CMR) in every day clinical practice. CMR is useful to confirm the presence of hypertrophy and to help to define the underlying cause through a combination of a detailed assessment of ventricular function and tissue characterising sequences. As well as being a useful diagnostic tool, some CMR imaging features are of prognostic significance.

Cardiac drugs used in cross-sectional cardiac imaging: what the radiologist needs to know.

The demand for cross-sectional imaging of the heart is increasing dramatically and in many centres these imaging techniques are being performed by radiologists. Although radiologists are familiar with the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to generate high-quality images and with using contrast agents, many are less familiar with administering the drugs necessary to perform CT coronary angiography and cardiac MR reliably. The aim of this article is to give an overview of the indications for and the contraindications to administering cardiac drugs in cross-sectional imaging departments.

Maternal diabetes increases small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) currents that alter action potential properties and excitability of cardiac motoneurons in the nucleus ambiguus.

Parasympathetic cardiac motoneurons (PCMNs) in the nucleus ambiguus (NA) play a key role in regulating cardiac functions. In this study, we examined the effects of maternal diabetes on excitability, action potential (AP) properties, and small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (SK) currents of PCMNs. Neonatal mice from diabetic (OVE26 female, NMDM) and normal (FVB female, control) mothers that had been mated with nondiabetic fathers (FVB male) were used.

Structural remodeling of vagal afferent innervation of aortic arch and nucleus ambiguus (NA) projections to cardiac ganglia in a transgenic mouse model of type 1 diabetes (OVE26).

Diabetes-induced structural changes of vagal aortic afferent and cardiac efferent axons are not well understood. FVB control and OVE26 diabetic mice at different ages received injections of the tracer tetramethylrhodamine dextran (TMR-D) into the nodose ganglion to label vagal aortic afferents (at 3 and 6 months), or DiI injections into the nucleus ambiguus to label vagal cardiac efferents (at 3, 6, and 9 months). The aortic arch and atria were examined by using confocal microscopy.