A six-year experience with the omnicarbon valve in North American patients.

Aim: We studied the results of an all-carbon monoleaflet valve prosthesis (the Omnicarbon) in a North American population.

Methods: Patients were recalled to our valve clinic for complete evaluation, including echocardiography, laboratory tests, and physician examination. This experience includes 108 Omnicarbon valve implants.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum K(+) channels from human and sheep atrial cells display a specific electro-pharmacological profile.

It has recently been proposed that the Ca(2+) uptake by the SR is inhibited by blocking Cl(-) and/or K(+) movements across this intracellular membrane. We have characterised the functional and pharmacological profile of the SR K(+) channel derived from human and sheep atrial cells. Mammalian atrial SR preparations were subjected to [(3)H]-ryanodine binding assays, SDS-PAGE analysis and channel protein reconstitution into planar lipid bilayers.