Long-term follow-up of adult patients with congenital heart disease and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

Objective: Sudden cardiac death is common in the adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) population. Knowledge and experience about the use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) in ACHD patients is very limited. We aimed to characterize a cohort of patients with ACHD and ICDs.

Uhl's disease: An uncommon presentation of a rare disease.

Uhl's disease, also known as Uhl anomaly, is a rare disease secondary to selective but uncontrolled apoptosis of right ventricular myocytes during the perinatal period, after complete cardiac development, leading to the absence of right ventricular myocardium and the direct apposition of endocardium to epicardium without a myocardial layer in between, resulting in right ventricular failure. The present paper describes a case of Uhl's disease with an uncommon presentation. A 28-year-old man was admitted with dyspnea and cyanosis.

Congenital heart disease in adults: Assessmentof functional capacity using cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Aim: The aim of the study was to compare functional capacity in different types of congenital heart disease (CHD), as assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of adult patients with CHD who had undergone CPET in a single tertiary center. Diagnoses were divided into repaired tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great arteries (TGA) after Senning or Mustard procedures or congenitally corrected TGA, complex defects, shunts, left heart valve disease and right ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

Is it possible to simplify risk stratification scores for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary angioplasty?

Introduction: There are several risk scores for stratification of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most widely used of which are the TIMI and GRACE scores. However, these are complex and require several variables. The aim of this study was to obtain a reduced model with fewer variables and similar predictive and discriminative ability.

Correlative light-electron fractography for fatigue striations characterization in metallic alloys.

The correlative light-electron fractography technique combines correlative microscopy concepts to the extended depth-from-focus reconstruction method, associating the reliable topographic information of 3-D maps from light microscopy ordered Z-stacks to the finest lateral resolution and large focus depth from scanning electron microscopy. Fatigue striations spacing analysis can be precisely measured, by correcting the mean surface tilting with the knowledge of local elevation data from elevation maps. This new technique aims to improve the accuracy of quantitative fractography in fatigue fracture investigations.

Correlative fractography: combining scanning electron microscopy and light microscopes for qualitative and quantitative analysis of fracture surfaces.

Correlative fractography is a new expression proposed here to describe a new method for the association between scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM) for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of fracture surfaces. This article presents a new method involving the fusion of one elevation map obtained by extended depth from focus reconstruction from LM with exactly the same area by SEM and associated techniques, as X-ray mapping. The true topographic information is perfectly associated to local fracture mechanisms with this new technique, presented here as an alternative to stereo-pair reconstruction for the investigation of fractured components.

Extended depth from focus reconstruction using NIH ImageJ plugins: quality and resolution of elevation maps.

In this work, NIH ImageJ plugins for extended depth-from-focus reconstructions (EDFR) based on spatial domain operations were compared and tested for usage optimization. Also, some preprocessing solutions for light microscopy image stacks were evaluated, suggesting a general routine for the ImageJ user to get reliable elevation maps from grayscale image stacks. Two reflected light microscope image stacks were used to test the EDFR plugins: one bright-field image stack for the fracture of carbon-epoxy composite and its darkfield corresponding stack at same (x,y,z) spatial coordinates.

[High-degree atrioventricular block induced by Prinzmetal angina].

We present the case of a 46-year-old woman with episodes of chest pain with ST-T segment elevation and paroxysmal high-degree atrioventricular block and syncopal episodes. Coronary angiography revealed no significant atheromatous lesions. The patient was treated with nitrates and calcium channel blockers but syncopal episodes with atrioventricular block persisted.

Admission heart rate as a predictor of mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Introduction: Heart rate (HR) is a prognostic factor in stable angina. However, in the context of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), it is less studied.

Aims: To evaluate the influence of admission HR as a prognostic factor in patients with ACS.

[Impact of age on treatment and outcomes after acute myocardial infarction, particularly in very elderly patients].

Introduction: The elderly population admitted for acute myocardial infarction is increasing. This group is not well studied in international trials and is probably treated with a more conservative approach.

Objectives: To evaluate the presentation and treatment of myocardial infarction according to age, particularly in very elderly patients.

Impact of body mass index in the results after primary angioplasty in patients with ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Obese patients submitted to elective coronary angioplasty have a paradoxical reduction in hospital and long-term mortality. In primary angioplasty setting, the relation with Body Mass Index (BMI) is less studied.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of obesity in the results after ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction treated by primary angioplasty.

Usefulness of tissue Doppler imaging to predict arrhythmic events in adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

Introduction: Adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) may be at risk for progressive right ventricular (RV) dilatation and dysfunction, which is commonly associated with arrhythmic events. In frequently volume-overloaded patients with congenital heart disease, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is particularly useful for assessing RV function. However, it is not known whether RV TDI can predict outcome in this population.

Impact of obesity on results after primary angioplasty in patients with ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Obesity is an important risk factor for the development of diabetes, hypertension, coronary disease, left ventricular dysfunction, stroke and cardiac arrhythmias. Paradoxically, previous studies in patients undergoing elective coronary angioplasty showed a reduction in hospital and long-term mortality in obese patients. The relation with body mass index (BMI) has been less studied in the context of primary angioplasty.

Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects: a decade of experience at a reference center.

Introduction: Atrial septal defects (ASD) are among the most common congenital anomalies and account for 10% of congenital heart disease in the pediatric age-group and 30% in adults. Closure is indicated when there is evidence of hemodynamic significance or after a paradoxical embolic event. Ten years ago, percutaneous closure became the treatment of choice in our center for all patients with a clear indication and favorable anatomy.

A new risk factor for infective endocarditis.

Body piercing has become an increasingly common practice in recent decades, especially among young people. However, it is not a completely safe procedure and may have serious complications such as infective endocarditis, which can occur in individuals with or without previous heart disease. In this paper we report a case of endocarditis after body piercing in a young woman with a pacemaker who needed surgical intervention.

Results of primary angioplasty in a reference center: in-hospital outcomes.

Introduction: Primary angioplasty is accepted as the preferred treatment for acute myocardial infarction in the first 12 hours. However, outcomes depend to a large extent on the volume of activity and experience of the center. Continuous monitoring of methods and results obtained is therefore crucial to quality control.

Does admission NT-proBNP increase the prognostic accuracy of GRACE risk score in the prediction of short-term mortality after acute coronary syndromes?

Background: NT-proBNP has prognostic implications in heart failure. In acute coronary syndromes (ACS) setting, the prognostic significance of NT-proBNP is being sought. We studied short-term prognostic impact of admission NT-proBNP in patients admitted for ACS and in association with GRACE risk score (GRS).

Adherence to guidelines in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes: progress over time.

Background: Treatment of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has changed considerably in the last few years, as reflected in various proposals for guidelines by the ACC/AHA/ESC based on clinical evidence. We analyzed the clinical implementation of these recommendations in our patient population between 2002 and 2005.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 368 patients admitted in 2002 and 420 patients admitted in 2005 for ACS (with and without ST-segment elevation).

NT-proBNP values and Weber functional class in patients with chronic heart failure.

Objective: To assess the correlation between NT-proBNP values and Weber functional class as determined by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods: We studied 95 patients, 68 male, mean age 50.4 +/- 10.

Is chronic nitrate therapy associated with a different clinical presentation of acute coronary syndrome?

Background: Nitrate therapy can induce ischemic preconditioning with a consequent increase in tolerance to ischemia. In the context of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), nitrates may result in a different presentation. with greater protection.

Impact of combination medical therapy on mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Introduction: Conventional risk stratification after acute myocardial infarction is usually based on the extent of myocardial damage and its clinical consequences. However, nowadays, more aggressive therapeutic strategies are used, both pharmacological and invasive, with the aim of changing the course of the disease.

Objectives: To evaluate whether the number of drugs administered can influence survival of these patients, based on recent clinical trials that demonstrated the benefit of each drug for survival after acute coronary events.

Genetic diversity in colonial bentgrass (Agrostis capillaris L.) revealed by EcoRI-MseI and PstI-MseI AFLP markers.

Colonial bentgrass (Agrostis capillaris L.) is a potential source for genetic improvement of resistance to environmental stress and disease for other bentgrass species (Agrostis spp.).