Publications by authors named "Jeffrey Fung"
Article Synopsis
- Engineered AML cells show promise as vaccines due to their ability to present unique patient-specific antigens, but past vaccines struggled to generate effective immune responses because the leukemia cells themselves suppress immunity and lack key costimulatory signals like CD80.
- Research involved genetically modifying murine AML cells to express CD80, interleukin-15 (IL-15), and its receptor (IL-15Rα), with promising results when used as irradiated vaccines that enhanced anti-leukemic immune responses.
- In studies with mice, the combination vaccine significantly improved survival rates and effectiveness, especially in post-remission scenarios, highlighting its potential for future treatment strategies against acute myeloid leukemia.
Background: Left ventricular lead (LVL) implant success rates have historically ranged between 70.5% and 95.5%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMany biologically important motions are described by periodic trajectories. Radial frequency (RF) trajectories are one example, in which the motion of a difference of Gaussians (DOG) target moves along a path described by a sinusoidal deviation of the radius from a perfect circle (Or, Thabet, Wilkinson, & Wilson, 2011). Here we explore the hypothesis that visual processing of RF trajectories involves global spatio-temporal processes that are disrupted by motion discontinuity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: This multicenter acute clinical study was designed to verify novel three-dimensional (3D) quadripolar lead designs that can achieve ≤2.5 V average pacing capture threshold (PCT) not only at the apex, but also at the base of the left ventricle with phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS) avoidance for cardiac resynchronization.
Methods: During the implant procedure, up to two different left ventricular investigational leads were introduced and tested in the same target coronary vein based on the coronary sinus venogram in a wedged and unwedged position.
Background: Development of novel adjuvant therapy to eradicate tumor angiogenesis and metastasis is a pressing need for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to investigate the clinical relevance and therapeutic potential of angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) in HCC.
Methods: ANGPTL4 mRNA levels in tumor and non-tumor liver tissues of HCC patients were analyzed to investigate its clinical relevance.
Aims: The Pacing to Avoid Cardiac Enlargement (PACE) trial is a prospective, double-blinded, randomized, multicentre study that reported the superiority of biventricular (BiV) pacing to right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing in the prevention of left ventricular (LV) adverse remodelling and deterioration of systolic function at 1 year. In the current analysis, we report the results at extended 2-year follow-up for changes in LV function and remodelling.
Methods And Results: Patients (n = 177) with bradycardia and preserved LV ejection fraction (EF ≥45%) were randomized to receive RVA or BiV pacing.
Aims: Right ventricular apex (RVA) pacing may have deleterious effects on left ventricular (LV) systolic function, but its impact on LV diastolic function has not been explored.
Methods And Results: Ninety-seven patients with sinus node dysfunction and ejection fraction (EF) ≥ 50% with permanent RVA pacing were randomly programmed to V-sense and V-pace modes and examined by echocardiography. Tissue Doppler imaging was employed to assess myocardial systolic velocity (S') and early diastolic velocity (E') at the mitral annulus.
Background: Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) at different phases of the regurgitant period may respond differently to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The aims of this study were to examine the impact of CRT on the phasic changes of MR (early vs late systole) and to explore the mechanisms of such changes.
Methods: Instantaneous MR flow rate and total MR volume were evaluated in 60 patients who had more than mild functional MR before and 3 months after CRT.
Aims: To examine whether the presence of pre-pacing functional mitral regurgitation (MR) and its improvement would affect the extent of left ventricular (LV) reverse remodelling after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).
Methods And Results: Echocardiographic assessment was performed in 83 patients before and 3 months after CRT. Total MR volume and the early- and late-systolic MR flow rate were assessed.
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) on left ventricular (LV) size and myocardial function.
Background: CCM is a device-based therapy for patients with advanced heart failure. Previous studies showed that CCM improved symptoms and exercise capacity; however, comprehensive assessment of LV structure, function, and reverse remodeling is not available.
Aims: Right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing may induce mechanical dyssynchrony. However, its impact on patients with normal ejection fraction (EF) is not fully understood. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of RVA pacing-induced systolic dyssynchrony by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE), and evaluated its impact on left ventricular (LV) function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Observational studies suggest that conventional right ventricular apical pacing may have a deleterious effect on left ventricular function. In this study, we examined whether biventricular pacing is superior to right ventricular apical pacing in preventing deterioration of left ventricular systolic function and cardiac remodeling in patients with bradycardia and a normal ejection fraction.
Methods: In this prospective, double-blind, multicenter study, we randomly assigned 177 patients in whom a biventricular pacemaker had been successfully implanted to receive biventricular pacing (89 patients) or right ventricular apical pacing (88 patients).
Background: This study adopted a new multi-layer approach of measuring myocardial deformation by two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking imaging to examine whether a transmural gradient exists in normal subjects and cardiac diseases.
Methods: Eighty patients were included with 20 in each group: (1) normal control; (2) acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with ejection fraction (EF) >45%; (3) right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing with EF>45%; (4) systolic heart failure (SHF) with EF<45%. Circumferential strain (ε-circum), torsion (Tor) and systolic dyssynchrony defined as the maximal difference in the time to peak circumferential strain were measured in the subendocardial and subepicardial myocardium layers (QLab 6.
Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute and late effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on multidirectional left ventricular (LV) strain assessed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking imaging and automated function imaging (AFI).
Methods: Multidirectional LV strain (global radial strain [GRS Avg], global circumferential strain [GCS Avg], and global longitudinal peak systolic strain [GLPSS Avg]) were measured in 141 patients with heart failure before CRT implantation, immediately afterward, and after 3 to 6 months of follow-up. Moreover, the acute effects on multidirectional LV strain were evaluated after interrupting CRT at follow-up.
Aims: To evaluate a novel atrial lead designed to reduce far-field sensing.
Methods And Results: Sixty-three patients with standard pacing indications were randomized to receive an OptiSense 1699T (St Jude Medical, USA) or conventional pacing lead in the right atrium. Post-implant follow-up was conducted for all patients at 90 days and for a subset at 360 days.
The efficacy of CRT (cardiac resynchronization therapy) can be affected by a number of factors; however, the prognostic significance of the LV (left ventricular) lead position has not been explored. The aim of the present study was to examine whether a PL (posterolateral) lead position has an additional value to systolic dyssynchrony in predicting a better survival after CRT. Patients (n=134) who received CRT were followed-up for 39+/-24 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This study compared the prevalence and pattern of mechanical dyssynchrony in patients with normal heart and right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing versus patients with systolic heart failure (SHF) and spontaneous left bundle branch block (LBBB).
Methods: A total of 112 patients having LBBB pattern on surface electrocardiogram were included (57 with ejection fraction>50% received RVA pacing; 55 had SHF with ejection fraction<35%). Using tissue Doppler imaging, systolic and diastolic dyssynchrony was defined by the standard deviation of the time to peak systolic and peak early diastolic velocity, respectively.
Introduction: The optimal left ventricular (LV) pacing site for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is unclear. The current study aims to explore the clinical significance of LV lead concordance to delayed contraction segment in CRT.
Methods And Results: Concordant LV lead position was defined as the lead tip located by fluoroscopy at or immediately adjacent to the LV segment with latest contraction determined by tissue Doppler imaging.
Objectives: We sought to determine whether early assessment of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony by tissue Doppler imaging may predict progressive ventricular enlargement and cardiac dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction (MI).
Methods: Forty-seven patients (mean age 59.9 +/- 11.