Ultra-high-density mapping to guide effective His-bundle pacing.

Permanent His bundle pacing is a physiological alternative to right ventricular pacing, resulting in a lower probability of pacing-induced cardiomyopathy and left ventricular ejection fraction deterioration. The combined use of UHD mapping systems allows precise and detailed information on the His bundle location, possibly providing more pacing option locations.

A randomized controlled trial of acarbose in hepatic encephalopathy.

Background & Aims: Hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis is contributed to by toxic products deriving from the proteolytic bacterial flora-related degradation of dietary nitrogen substances. Acarbose is a novel hypoglycemic agent acting through the inhibition of glucose absorption in the gut and the promotion of intestinal saccharolytic bacterial flora at the expense of proteolytic flora. We assessed whether acarbose exerts a beneficial effect on hepatic encephalopathy and on postprandial hyperglycemia in cirrhotic patients with low-grade hepatic encephalopathy and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Assessment of skeletal maturity of the hand-wrist and knee: A comparison among methods.

This study evaluated the influence of height growth and nutritional status on skeletal maturation of the knee and hand-wrist. Radiographs of 589 subjects (250 girls and 339 boys) from 2 to 15 years were rated according to Greulich-Pyle, TW-20 bone and TW-RUS, RWT knee, and FELS hand-wrist methods and a method combining FELS and RWT indicators. The subjects were referred to the Genoa University Paediatric Department from 1980 to 1987 for short stature, simple obesity, or acute diseases.