Novel magnesium-nanofluorapatite metal matrix nanocomposite with improved biodegradation behavior.

Designing and preparation of magnesium alloys with adjustable biocorrosion rates in the human body and precipitation ability of bone-like apatite layer have been of interest recently. Application of metal matrix composites (MMC) based on magnesium alloys might be an approach to this challenge. The aim of this work was fabrication and evaluation of biocorrosion and bioactivity of a novel MMC made of magnesium alloy AZ91 as matrix and fluorapatite (FA) nano particles as reinforcement.

Vagal stimulation promotes atrial electrical remodeling induced by rapid atrial pacing in dogs: evidence of a noncholinergic effect.

Background: Atrial electrical remodeling (AER) is one of the mechanisms by which atrial fibrillation (AF) begets AF. It is known that vagal activity increases the propensity for AF. However, vagal effects on AER have not been fully investigated.

Rationale and design for programming implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in patients with primary prevention indication to prolong time to first shock (PROVIDE) study.

Aims: Shock therapy delivery by implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) can be painful and may have negative psychological consequences. Reducing shock burden for patients with ICDs and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds) may have beneficial consequences. This may be achieved by avoiding inappropriate shocks for supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and by limiting appropriate shocks to only those that are necessary to convert ventricular arrhythmias.

Antimicrobial activity of Bacillus sp. strain FAS1 isolated from soil.

During screening for antibiotic producing microorganisms from environmental soil samples, the supernatant of a bacterial isolate was found to have antibacterial and antifungal activity on the standard indicator species. The standard cylinder-plate method was used to determine the inhibitory effect of the crude supernatant of each isolate on 6 bacterial and 3 fungal standard strains by measuring the diameter of inhibition zone. The highest inhibition zone on Aspergillus niger belonged to culture broth of isolate FAS1 by 25 mm, and this isolate was the most efficient microorganism to inhibit standard bacterial and fungal species.

Detection and treatment of acute thromboembolic events in the lower extremities.

Acute procedural thromboembolic events are serious complications affecting both short- and long-term outcome. Patients at high risk include those undergoing catheter-based interventions for acute limb ischemia and long segment de novo or stented occlusions of the lower limb arteries. Additionally, debulking procedures and angioplasty/stenting of complex lesions in patients with advanced disease have also been associated with a higher risk of distal embolization and in situ thrombosis.

The evaluation and management of electrical storm.

Electrical storm is an increasingly common and life-threatening syndrome that is defined by 3 or more sustained episodes of ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or appropriate shocks from an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator within 24 hours. The clinical presentation can be dramatic. Electrical storm can manifest itself during acute myocardial infarction and in patients who have structural heart disease, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, or an inherited arrhythmic syndrome.

Structural characterization and epitope mapping of the glutamic acid/alanine-rich protein from Trypanosoma congolense: defining assembly on the parasite cell surface.

Trypanosoma congolense is an African trypanosome that causes serious disease in cattle in Sub-Saharan Africa. The four major life cycle stages of T. congolense can be grown in vitro, which has led to the identification of several cell-surface molecules expressed on the parasite during its transit through the tsetse vector.

Experiences of the Swedish healthcare system: an interview study with refugees in need of long-term health care.

Background: Refugees needing long-term health care must adapt to new healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to examine the viewpoints of nine refugees in a county in Sweden, with a known chronic disease or functional impairment requiring long-term medical care, on their contacts with care providers regarding treatment and personal needs.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with nine individuals and/or their next of kin.

Evaluation of large scale quantitative proteomic assay development using peptide affinity-based mass spectrometry.

Stable isotope standards and capture by antipeptide antibodies (SISCAPA) couples affinity enrichment of peptides with stable isotope dilution and detection by multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry to provide quantitative measurement of peptides as surrogates for their respective proteins. In this report, we describe a feasibility study to determine the success rate for production of suitable antibodies for SISCAPA assays in order to inform strategies for large-scale assay development. A workflow was designed that included a multiplex immunization strategy in which up to five proteotypic peptides from a single protein target were used to immunize individual rabbits.

Tachycardia-mediated cardiomyopathy and the permanent form of junctional reciprocating tachycardia.

Permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia, or atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia utilizing a slowly conducting posteroseptal accessory pathway, is a rare form of reentrant supraventricular tachycardia in children and adults. The characteristic features of this narrow complex tachycardia are a long RP interval and inverted P waves in the inferior leads. This form of accessory-pathway-mediated tachycardia, which is usually incessant, can lead to a tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure if left untreated.

Interatrial conduction correlates with optimal atrioventricular timing in cardiac resynchronization therapy devices.

Background: Echocardiographic optimization of the atrioventricular delay (AV) may result in improvement in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) outcome. Optimal AV has been shown to correlate with interatrial conduction time (IACT) during right atrial pacing. This study aimed to prospectively validate the correlation at different paced heart rates and examine it during sinus rhythm (Sinus).

Protective effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Nigella sativa L. and Portulaca oleracea L. on free radical induced hemolysis of RBCs.

Background And The Purpose Of The Study: It has been shown that Nigella sativa L. and Portulaca oleracea L. have many antioxidant components.

MALDI immunoscreening (MiSCREEN): a method for selection of anti-peptide monoclonal antibodies for use in immunoproteomics.

A scalable method for screening and selection of peptide-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is described. To identify high affinity anti-peptide mAbs in hybridoma supernatants, antibodies were captured by magnetic affinity beads followed by binding of specific peptides from solution. After timed washing steps, the remaining bound peptides were eluted from the beads and detected by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS).

Comparative molecular epidemiology of Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica by PCR-RFLP technique in hyper endemic cities of Isfahan and Bam, Iran.

Background: Leishmania is an obligate intracellular protozoa, and the sandfly, as a vector, transmits infectious forms of the parasite to the vertebrate host. The etiologic agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica, are the most prevalent factor in Iran, especially in the Isfahan and Bam regions. Because of the importance of CL in endemic regions and the interaction of species diversity factors in developing control strategies, several isolated Leishmania species from 2 hyperendemic regions of Iran, Isfahan and Bam cities, were examined in this study by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

Molecular variation and distribution of Anopheles fluviatilis (Diptera: Culicidae) complex in Iran.

Anopheles fluviatilis James (Diptera: Culicidae) is one of the known malaria vectors in south and southeastern Iran. Earlier ITS2 sequences analysis of specimens from Iran demonstrated only a single genotype that was identical to species Y in India, which is also the same as species T. We identified 2 haplotypes in the An.

Bacteriological evaluation of adult dacryocystitis in Iran.

Purpose: To examine the microbiology and antibiogram of specimens from patients with dacryocystitis.

Methods: A total of 66 samples from lacrimal sac contents of 61 consecutive patients with acute and chronic dacryocystitis were obtained. These specimens were cultured for bacteria with a routine microbiological technique.

Portable, battery-operated, low-cost, bright field and fluorescence microscope.

This study describes the design and evaluation of a portable bright-field and fluorescence microscope that can be manufactured for $240 USD. The microscope uses a battery-operated LED-based flashlight as the light source and achieves a resolution of 0.8 microm at 1000x magnification in fluorescence mode.

Race/ethnicity and the incidence of new-onset atrial fibrillation after isolated coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is more prevalent in Caucasians than in persons of other racial/ethnic groups.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between race/ethnicity and new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: Data from all patients with no history of AF who underwent isolated CABG at our institution from 2000 through 2008 were analyzed.

Preoperative subpterygeal injection vs intraoperative mitomycin C for pterygium removal: comparison of results and complications.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare the recurrence rates and complications between 2 therapeutic methods for primary pterygium: subconjunctival injection of mitomycin C (MMC) 1 month before bare scleral excision and conjunctival rotational flap with intraoperative MMC use.

Design: Prospective, interventional, randomized clinical trial.

Methods: setting: Institutional clinical trial in a tertiary, specialty eye hospital.

Programming antitachycardia pacing for primary prevention in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators: results from the PROVE trial.

Objectives: the PROVE trial was designed to determine if antitachycardia pacing (ATP) is clinically beneficial for primary prevention in patients who have implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds).

Background: use of ICDs and CRT-Ds reduces mortality in patients with ventricular dysfunction and mild to moderate heart failure. However, in studies of the primary prevention population, shock-only ICDs are predominantly used, without ATP programming for less painful termination of ventricular tachycardia (VT).