Mechanisms of adipose tissue redistribution with rosiglitazone treatment in various adipose depots.

Treatment with thiazolidinediones (TZDs) improves glucose homeostasis by increasing insulin sensitivity, but it also leads to weight gain. Our hypothesis was that, in individual adipose depots, there is depot specificity for lipid storage and energy expenditure genes after TZD treatment. After 5 weeks of rosiglitazone treatment on Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, an animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus with obesity, and Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka rats as controls, we measured changes in lipid storage and energy expenditure gene expression in various adipose depots, such as mesenteric and nonmesenteric adipose tissues (subcutaneous, epididymal, and retroperitoneal).

Cardiac resynchronization therapy in pediatric congenital heart disease: insights from noninvasive electrocardiographic imaging.

Background: Electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) is a novel electrophysiologic imaging modality that may help guide patient selection and lead placement for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to apply noninvasive ECGI to pediatric heart failure patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing evaluation for CRT.

Methods: ECGI was applied in eight patients with CHD who were either being evaluated for CRT or undergoing CRT.

Translational Mini-Review Series on Vaccines for HIV: Harnessing innate immunity for HIV vaccine development.

Innate immunity is critical for shaping vaccine-elicited adaptive immune responses. Several classes of immune sensors, including Toll-like receptors, retinoic acid-inducible gene-I-like receptors, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors and cytosolic DNA receptors mediate important innate immune pathways and provide potential targets for novel adjuvant development. Understanding how innate immunity modulates adaptive immune responses will probably be important for optimizing vaccine candidates.

Kynurenic acid triggers firm arrest of leukocytes to vascular endothelium under flow conditions.

Recent studies have demonstrated that kynurenic acid (KYNA), a compound produced endogenously by the interferon-gamma-induced degradation of tryptophan by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, activates the previously orphaned G protein-coupled receptor, GPR35. This receptor is expressed in immune tissues, although its potential function in immunomodulation remains to be explored. We determined that GPR35 was most highly expressed on human peripheral monocytes.

Impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease on microalbuminuria in patients with prediabetes and diabetes.

Background: It is unknown whether microalbuminuria is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). This study investigated the association of NAFLD with microalbuminuria among patients with prediabetes and diabetes.

Methods: We evaluated 1361 subjects who had an abnormal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) on routine screening.

Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase activity predicts future development of metabolic syndrome defined by 2 different criteria.

Background: Recent studies suggest the role of liver enzymes, such as serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) as the predictor for future development of metabolic syndrome (MetS), diabetes and cardiovascular disease in epidemiologic studies. We hypothesized that serum concentrations of GGT and ALT are associated with the development of MetS, according to newly recommended criteria from International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI) definition in Koreans.

Methods: A total of 15,250 males (mean 38 y) and 6280 females (mean 41 y) who visited the Health Promotion Center at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital for medical check-up in 2002, were followed-up after 4 y.

1,5-Anhydroglucitol reflects postprandial hyperglycemia and a decreased insulinogenic index, even in subjects with prediabetes and well-controlled type 2 diabetes.

To examine the serum 1,5-anhydroglucitol (AG) levels as a surrogate measure of postprandial hyperglycemia (PPH) and insulin secretion in a wide range of hyperglycemia, we compared the relationship between the glycemic index during a 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and the insulinogenic index and 1,5-AG according the overall glycemic state. Fasting serum 1,5-AG levels were lower in the type 2 diabetic group (18.0+/-7.

Relationship between body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) in perimenopausal Korean women.

Objectives: Osteoporosis is a disease that increases the fracture rates and it is the major cause of increased mortality and morbidity in the elderly people. To determine which component of body composition is most important to bone health, we analysed the relationship between elements of the body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) in Korean women.

Design: Cross-sectional clinical study.

Serum phosphate levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome: a double-edged sword.

This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between serum phosphate levels and cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome components in a cross-sectional survey. Plasma phosphate was measured by immunoturbidimetry in 46,798 subjects over 20 years of age with an estimated GFR>or=60 mL/(min 1.73 m(2)) who participated in a health-check survey at the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in South Korea.

The association of serum adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein with coronary artery disease in Korean adults.

Objectives: Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), also known as aP2 or FABP4, is abundantly expressed in adipocytes and plays a role in glucose homeostasis. We analyzed the relationship between the coronary artery disease and serum FABP4 levels in Korean adults.

Methods: In a total of 234 Korean adults, in whom coronary angiograms were performed, anthropometric measurements were done and fasting glucose and lipid profiles were measured.

Therapeutic options in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a pediatric perspective.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most prevalent genetic cardiomyopathy in children and young adults. Despite advances in understanding the molecular etiology of this disorder, the clinical phenotypes vary widely from asymptomatic septal hypertrophy, to frank congestive heart failure due to left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO), to unexpected sudden cardiac death. Thus, isolating a specific genetic defect in this disease does little to predict the clinical consequence.

Estrogen inhibits dendritic cell maturation to RNA viruses.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a central role in initiating and polarizing the immune response. Therefore, DC maturation represents a key control point in the shift from innate to adaptive immunity. It is suspected that during pregnancy, hormones are critical factors that modulate changes reported to occur in maternal immunity.

Cardiac memory in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: noninvasive imaging of activation and repolarization before and after catheter ablation.

Background: Cardiac memory refers to a change in ventricular repolarization induced by and persisting for minutes to months after cessation of a period of altered ventricular activation (eg, resulting from pacing or preexcitation in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome). ECG imaging (ECGI) is a novel imaging modality for noninvasive electroanatomic mapping of epicardial activation and repolarization.

Methods And Results: Fourteen pediatric patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and no other congenital disease, were imaged with ECGI a day before and 45 minutes, 1 week, and 1 month after successful catheter ablation.

A fatal device-device interaction between a wearable automated defibrillator and a unipolar ventricular pacemaker.

We report a fatal device-device interaction between a wearable automated defibrillator (WAD; LifeVest - LifeCor, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, USA) and a unipolar pacemaker that occurred in an 18-year-old patient listed for cardiac transplantation due to his failing Fontan. The patient developed ventricular tachycardia that was initially detected by the WAD.

Markers of coronary sinus accessory pathways in pediatrics.

Introduction: Coronary sinus accessory pathways (CSAPs), atrioventricular connections formed by the coronary sinus myocardial coat, have been described in adult patients, but not systematically described in pediatric patients.

Methods: Patients who underwent CSAP ablation were compared to patients with right posteroseptal (RPS) pathway ablation (control group) from November 2004 to June 2007. Retrospective reviews of preablation 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG), fluoroscopic, and intracardiac electrogram data were then performed to identify electrophysiologic markers of CSAP.

A pilot study of consolidative immunotherapy in patients with high-risk pediatric sarcomas.

Purpose: Patients with metastatic or recurrent Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma have <25% 5-year survival in most studies. This study administered a novel immunotherapy regimen aimed at consolidating remission in these patients.

Experimental Design: Fifty-two patients with translocation positive, recurrent, or metastatic Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors or alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma underwent prechemotherapy cell harvest via apheresis for potential receipt of immunotherapy.

Higher serum free thyroxine levels are associated with coronary artery disease.

Thyroid hormone has many effects on the heart and cardiovascular system. Thyrotoxicosis is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, primarily due to heart failure and thromboembolism. However, the relationship between thyroid hormone excess and the cardiac complications of angina pectoris and myocardial infarction remains largely speculative.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with preexcitation: insights from noninvasive electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) and catheter mapping.

Unlabelled: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Preexcitation.

Introduction: Fasciculoventricular pathway has been described as an unusual variant of preexcitation. Electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) is a novel imaging modality for noninvasive electroanatomic mapping of epicardial activation and repolarization.

Alternative delivery of a 4Fr lumenless pacing lead in children.

Background: The potential advantages of using a 4Fr lumenless pacing lead (3830 SelectSecure, Medtronic Inc, Minneapolis, MN, USA) in children are largely negated due to the large size of the delivery system. Here we describe an innovative, sheath guided, delivery technique using conventional 5F sheaths.

Methods: Transvenous access was obtained via the left cephalic or axillary vein.

Experience and results during transition from radiofrequency ablation to cryoablation for treatment of pediatric atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

Background: Cryoablation has emerged as a new, theoretically safer, modality for treating atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). The purpose of this study is to compare procedural aspects and outcomes during the transition from radiofrequency (RF) ablation to cryoablation for pediatric AVNRT.

Methods: Data were obtained retrospectively from 80 consecutive pediatric patients who underwent AVNRT ablation from 10/2001- 4/2006 (RF n = 42, Cryo n = 38).

Six-quark decays of the Higgs boson in supersymmetry with R-parity violation.

Both electroweak precision measurements and simple supersymmetric extensions of the standard model prefer a mass of the Higgs boson less than the experimental lower limit (on a standard-model-like Higgs boson) of 114 GeV. We show that supersymmetric models with R parity violation and baryon-number violation have a significant range of parameter space in which the Higgs boson dominantly decays to six jets. These decays are much more weakly constrained by current CERN LEP analyses and would allow for a Higgs boson mass near that of the Z.