Revisiting the Atrioventricular Conduction Axis for the 21st Century.

In this review, we summarise the ongoing debate surrounding the anatomy of the atrioventricular conduction axis and its relevance to pacing. We highlight previous disagreements and emphasise the importance of understanding the anatomical location of the axis. We give credit and support to the initial descriptions by His and Tawara, in particular their attention to the relationship of the atrioventricular conduction axis with the membranous septum.

Anatomical Ablation of the Atrioventricular Node.

Background: Atrioventricular (AV) conduction ablation has been achieved by targeting the area of penetration of the conduction axis as defined by recording a His bundle potential. Ablation of the His bundle may reduce the possibility of a robust junctional escape rhythm. It was hypothesised that specific AV nodal ablation is feasible and safe.

Antibacterial and anatomical defenses in an oil contaminated, vulnerable seaduck.

Oil spills have killed thousands of birds during the last 100 years, but nonlethal effects of oil spills on birds remain poorly studied. We measured phenotype characters in 819 eiders (279 whole birds and 540 wings) of which 13.6% were oiled.

Genetic and epigenetic serotonergic markers predict the ability to recognize mental states.

The serotonergic (5-HT) system is related to affective and cognitive processes and explains behavioral variability in the normal and psychopathological range. For this reason, the hypothesis was put forward that genetic and epigenetic markers related to 5-HT metabolism predict individual differences in social cognitive functioning. Social cognitions are complex mental processes necessary for perceiving, interpreting and reacting to the behaviors of others.

Occupational dose reduction in cardiac catheterisation laboratory: a randomised trial using a shield drape placed on the patient.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occupational radiation dose in interventional cardiology by using a shielding drape on the patient. A random study with and without the protective material was conducted. The following control parameters were registered: demographic data, number of stents, contrast media volume, fluoroscopy time, number of cine images, kerma-area product and cumulative air kerma.

Functional consequences of transferrin receptor-2 mutations causing hereditary hemochromatosis type 3.

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) type 3 is an autosomal recessive disorder of iron metabolism characterized by excessive iron deposition in the liver and caused by mutations in the transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2) gene. Here, we describe three new HH type 3 Spanish families with four TFR2 mutations (p.Gly792Arg, c.

Origin and early development of the chicken adenohypophysis.

The adenohypophysis (ADH) is an important endocrine organ involved in the regulation of many physiological processes. The late morphogenesis of this organ at neural tube stages is well known: the epithelial ADH primordium is recognized as an invagination of the stomodeal roof (Rathke's pouch), whose walls later thicken and differentiate as the primordium becomes pediculated, and then fully separated from the stomodeum. The primordium attaches to the pial surface of the basal hypothalamus, next to the neurohypophyseal field (NH; future posterior pituitary), from which it was previously separated by migrating prechordal plate (pp) cells.

Impact of genetic polymorphisms on chemotherapy toxicity in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The efficacy of chemotherapy in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients has significantly increased in the last 20 years; as a result, the focus of research is slowly shifting from trying to increase survival rates to reduce chemotherapy-related toxicity. At the present time, the cornerstone of therapy for ALL is still formed by a reduced number of drugs with a highly toxic profile. In recent years, a number of genetic polymorphisms have been identified that can play a significant role in modifying the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of these drugs.

Frequency of CYP2D6 allelic variants in multiple sclerosis.

Recent reports have shown association between CYP2D6 polymorphism and neuronal degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. We investigated the association between this polymorphism and the risk for developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Leucocyte DNA from 118 MS patients and a control group of 200 unrelated healthy individuals was studied for the occurrence of 8 different CYP2D6 allelic variants by using allele-specific PCR amplification, XbaI and EcoRI RFLP analyses.

Genetic basis for differences in debrisoquin polymorphism between a Spanish and other white populations.

The debrisoquin hydroxylation polymorphism is an autosomic recessive trait of the cytochrome P450IID6, an enzyme involved in drug metabolism, that affects 5% to 10% of white subjects. The genetic basis of this polymorphism was studied in 258 unrelated Spanish white subjects. The results revealed that about 5% of the subjects were homozygous for mutant alleles and that about 1% of the subjects carried alleles that suggested CYP2D6 gene duplication.