Eradication of Ventricular Assist Device Driveline Infection in Paediatric Patients with Taurolidine.

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are used to provide mechanical circulatory support to patients with end-stage heart failure. The driveline connecting the external power source to the pump(s) of the intra-corporal VAD breaches the protective skin barrier and provides a track for microbes to invade the interior of the patient's body. Driveline infection constitutes a major and potentially fatal vulnerability of VAD therapy.

Validation of (99m)Tc-labeled "4+1" fatty acids for myocardial metabolism and flow imaging: Part 2. Subcellular distribution.

Introduction: Our group has synthesized technetium-labeled fatty acids (FA) that are extracted into the myocardium and sequestered due to heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) binding. In this article, we further address the detailed subcellular distribution and potential myocardial metabolism of [(99m)Tc]"4+1" FA.

Methods: Experiments were conducted using isolated hearts of Wistar rats, as well as of wild-type and H-FABP(-/-) mice.

Validation of (99m)Tc-labeled "4+1" fatty acids for myocardial metabolism and flow imaging: Part 1: myocardial extraction and biodistribution.

Introduction: (13)C, (18)F and (123)I fatty acids (FA) are used for myocardial imaging. Recently, our group showed that [(99m)Tc]-labeled "4+1" FA are extracted into the rat and guinea pig myocardium. The present study evaluates determinants of myocardial uptake and whole body biodistribution of these FA derivatives.

Features of adenosine metabolism of mouse heart.

Adenosine metabolism and transport were evaluated in the isolated perfused mouse heart and compared with the well-established model of isolated perfused guinea pig heart. Coronary venous release of adenosine under well-oxygenated conditions in the mouse exceeds that in the guinea pig threefold when related to tissue mass. Total myocardial adenosine production rate under this condition was approximately 2 nmol/min per gramme and similar in both species.