The relationship between daily atrial tachyarrhythmia burden from implantable device diagnostics and stroke risk: the TRENDS study.

Background: It is unknown if brief episodes of device-detected atrial fibrillation (AF) increase thromboembolic event (TE) risk.

Methods And Results: TRENDS was a prospective, observational study enrolling patients with > or = 1 stroke risk factor (heart failure, hypertension, age > or = 65 years, diabetes, or prior TE) receiving pacemakers or defibrillators that monitor atrial tachycardia (AT)/AF burden (defined as the longest total AT/AF duration on any given day during the prior 30-day period). This time-varying exposure was updated daily during follow-up and related to TE risk.

Potent inhibition of HIV-1 by TRIM5-cyclophilin fusion proteins engineered from human components.

New World monkeys of the genus Aotus synthesize a fusion protein (AoT5Cyp) containing tripartite motif-containing 5 (TRIM5) and cyclophilin A (CypA) that potently blocks HIV-1 infection. We attempted to generate a human HIV-1 inhibitor modeled after AoT5Cyp, by fusing human CypA to human TRIM5 (hT5Cyp). Of 13 constructs, 3 showed substantial HIV-1-inhibitory activity when expressed in human cell lines.

Humanized mice for modeling human infectious disease: challenges, progress, and outlook.

Over 800 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis viruses, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and malaria, resulting in more than 5 million deaths annually. Here we discuss the potential and challenges of humanized mouse models for developing effective and affordable therapies and vaccines, which are desperately needed to combat these diseases.

Factors associated with the risk of Giardia species infection in two sympatric species of Peromyscus mice.

An epidemiologic case-control study was conducted to identify factors that predispose Peromyscus spp. to the risk of infection with Giardia sp. in watersheds.

Cautionary guidelines for the use of opioids in chronic pain.

Guidelines for the use of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain have recently been proposed by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. Older guidelines proposed by American pain organizations had the effect of liberalizing opioid prescription. In recent years, dramatic increases in prescribed opioids have been followed by equally dramatic rises in morbidity and mortality from prescription opioids.

Dual-energy CT angiography in peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

We sought to study the accuracy of dual-energy computed tomographic angiography (DE-CTA) for the assessment of symptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease of the lower extremity by using the dual-energy bone removal technique compared with a commercially available conventional bone removal tool. Twenty patients underwent selective digital subtraction angiography and DE-CTA of the pelvis and lower extremities. CTA data were postprocessed with two different applications: conventional bone removal and dual-energy bone removal.

Light-induced degradation of storage starch in turions of Spirodela polyrhiza depends on nitrate.

Light induces both the germination of turions of the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza and the degradation of the reserve starch stored in the turions. The germination photoresponse requires nitrate, and we show here that nitrate is also needed for the light-induced degradation of the turion starch. Ammonium cannot substitute for nitrate in this regard, and nitrate thus acts specifically as signal to promote starch degradation in the turions.

Human T cell development and HIV infection in human hemato-lymphoid system mice.

Advances in generation of mice that on human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell transplantation develop and maintain human hemato-lymphoid cells have fueled an already thriving field of research. We focus here on human T cell development and HIV infection in Rag2 -/- gamma(c) -/- mice transplanted as newborns with human CD34+ cord blood hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.

Addiction in older women: American health care's best-kept secret.

Older women are not immune from alcohol and drug dependence. In fact, substance use disorders are becoming more common in women over 60 and will become a larger public health issue as the baby boomers reach retirement age. Addicted women in their senior years present special challenges in identification and intervention, and have special needs in treatment.

[Barbie goes PriMa: formative evaluation of a school-based program for the primary prevention of anorexia nervosa developed for girls up to the age of 12].

Objectives: Recently, a newly developed German program for the prevention of anorexia nervosa in girls ("PriMa") was successfully tested for effectiveness in a controlled study with prepost-design in 1,006 girls from 42 Thuringian schools (Berger et al. 2007). In the present article the test of the program's effectiveness was completed by an evaluation of the program's conception and its process.

An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis among alpaca crias and their human caregivers.

Case Description: 6 alpaca crias from a single farm were examined because of diarrhea (n = 4) or decreased fecal production (n = 2).

Clinical Findings: Cryptosporidium parvum was identified by means of fecal flotation in samples from 5 of the 6 crias, and a diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis was made. In the remaining cria, a presumptive diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis was made.

Cryptosporidium spp. from small mammals in the New York City watershed.

The objective of this study was to assess the potential role that wildlife plays in environmental degradation of watersheds through the contamination of the water supply with zoonotic genotypes of Cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium isolates recovered from wildlife in the New York City (NYC) watershed were examined to determine genotype using a polymerase chain reaction protocol targeting the 18-Small Subunit (SSU) rRNA locus. Seventy-seven DNA samples recovered from 12 wildlife host species captured in the NYC watershed were amplified and sequenced.

Improving endograft stability by accommodation onto the aortic bifurcation.

Purpose: To report the technique for deploying a 3-part endovascular graft onto the native aortic bifurcation for greater stent-graft stability.

Technique: The Zenith Composite Endovascular Graft is a 3-part system consisting of a proximal tubular body with an uncovered Gianturco Z stent, a distal bifurcated body, and a contralateral leg. Proximally, 8-mm flexible interstent gaps facilitate precise infrarenal aortic placement, even in angulated necks.

Fenestrated endografting for aortic aneurysm repair: a 7-year experience.

Purpose: To present a 7-year single-center clinical experience with fenestrated endografts and side branches.

Methods: Between April 1999 and August 2006, 63 patients (57 men; mean age 70.5+/-11.

Fenestrated and branched grafts for para-anastomotic aortic aneurysm repair.

Purpose: To investigate the use of fenestration and branch artery stenting during endovascular stent-graft repair of para-anastomotic aneurysms (PAA).

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 9 patients (all men; mean age 71 years, range 60-80) who received custom-designed fenestrated endoprostheses for PAA repair. Eight tubular fenestrated devices and 1 composite device (fenestrated tube plus modular bifurcated body) with a total of 31 fenestrations were used.

Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction diagnosis of Cryptosporidium spp in dairy cattle and wildlife.

This study investigated the utility of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol as a screening test for Cryptosporidium spp in 125 fecal samples from dairy cattle and wild rodents. Samples initially examined by fecal flotation and ELISA were evaluated using four PCR protocols (18S SSU rRNA, TRAP-C2, HSP70, and COWP), and the relative accuracy and agreement of PCR protocols was assessed. Although PCR can be both highly sensitive and accurate, the ability of these protocols to accurately detect DNA in samples can vary.

Branched iliac bifurcation: 6 years experience with endovascular preservation of internal iliac artery flow.

Objective: The objective of the current study was to share a 6-year experience with the iliac bifurcation device (IBD) and determine its safety and effectiveness in patients with common iliac artery aneurysms.

Methods: Between 2001 and 2006, 46 patients were prospectively enrolled in a single institution study on the IBD. Indications included unilateral or bilateral common iliac artery aneurysms (CIAA) (combined or not with abdominal aortic aneurysm endovascular repair).

New insights into long-term follow-up of atrial fibrillation ablation: full disclosure by an implantable pacemaker device.

Introduction: Long-term outcome of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is difficult to assess. This study sought to evaluate various aspects of very long-term follow-up (FU) by the properties of an implantable device.

Methods: Fourteen patients with an implanted pacemaker device (Medtronic AT500) were selected for RFA, due to drug-refractory and highly symptomatic AF despite antibradycardic pacing.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in wildlife populations within a watershed landscape in southeastern New York State.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in wildlife in the New York City (NYC) Watershed in southeastern New York State. A total of 6227 fecal samples were collected and evaluated from 5892 mammals (38 species), 263 birds (14 species), 2 reptiles (2 species), 8 amphibians (4 species), and 62 fish (15 species). Cryptosporidium was detected in 30 species.

Hemangiosarcoma after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair.

Purpose: To report a rare case of hemangiosarcoma after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).

Case Report: A 50-year-old man with Klinefelter syndrome presented 5 years after EVAR with a mass at the infrarenal aorta outside the stent-graft. Radiomorphologic and clinical signs were misleading because there had been evidence of an inflammatory process for more than a year.

Mouse models for human hemato-lymphopoiesis.

By transplanting human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in newborn immunodeficient mice, researchers have recently achieved development of a human adaptive immune system, consisting of B cells, T cells, dendritic cells, and some cells of the myeloid lineage, which together form respective structured lymphoid organs as thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes, and produce some functional immune responses. These will provide valuable models to analyze the impact of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or species-specific infections on human hematolymphoid cells in vivo. This unit describes methods for isolation of the progenitor human cells and their injection into mouse to constitute an adaptive immune system.

Management of atrial tachyarrhythmias. Rhythm control using implantable devices.

Presently, most devices with atrial diagnostic and therapeutic features are implanted in patients for electrical treatment of bradyarrhythmias and ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The painless electrical strategies for prevention and termination of ATa have not demonstrated significant clinical effectiveness in the general population with ATa. The effectiveness of ATP in reducing burden may be significantly higher in a subgroup of patients with a high incidence of stable ATa, but this needs to be evaluated prospectively.