Significance of Signal Averaged Electrocardiography in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure and Intraventricular Conduction Delay

Aims

Signal averaged electrocardiography is a noninvasive method to evaluate the presence of the potentials that are generated by tissues, activated later than their usual timing in the cardiac cycle. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the correlation of data obtained via signal averaged electrocardiography and left ventricular dyssynchrony.

Methods

We included the patients with advanced systolic left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤ 35%) and intraventricular conduction delay. All patients underwent surface 12-lead electrocardiography, signal averaged ECG, and tissue Doppler echocardiography.

Results

The study included 72 patients with mean age of 56.45±13.59 years. Mean QRS duration was 0.14 ± 0.02 sec; 63.9% of patients had left bundle branch block. Linear regression demonstrated significant correlations between filtered QRS duration and interventricular mechanical delay (P<0.000, Y= 0.41X-24.76), root mean square 40 and peak velocity difference (P: 0.001, Y=-0.39X+109.72), root mean square 40 and Ts-SD-12 (P:0.026, Y=-o.26X+40.08), low amplitude signals duration and peak velocity difference (P<0.000, Y=0.44X+67.3) and finally low amplitude signals duration and Ts-SD-12 (P:0.31, Y=0.26X+28.23) as well. Area under the curve in ROC of filtered QRS duration was significant for the detection of interventricular mechanical delay. Areas under the curves in ROC of low amplitude signal duration and root mean square 40 were significant for the detection of peak velocity difference.

Conclusions

Signal averaged electrocardiography can have a role in predicting the amount of ventricular dyssynchrony. The duration of low amplitude signals and root mean square 40 have significant linear relations to some indices of intraventricular dyssynchrony.     

High-valent tin(IV) porphyrin: An efficient and reusable catalyst for tetrahydropyranylation of alcohols and phenols under mild conditions

In this paper, rapid and highly efficient tetrahydropyranylation of alcohols and phenols with 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran (DHP) in the presence of catalytic amounts of high-valent tin (IV) tetraphenylporphyrinato trifluoromethanesufonate, [Sn^IV(TPP)(OTf)₂] is reported. In this catalytic system, primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols as well as phenols were converted to their corresponding tetrahydropyranyl ethers (THP-ethers) in excellent yields and short reaction times at room temperature. It is noteworthy that this method can be used for chemoselective tetrahydropyranylation of primary alcohols in the presence of secondary and tertiary alcohols and phenols. The catalyst was reused several times in the protection reactions without loss of its catalytic activity.     

Comparison of Real-Time PCR with Disk Diffusion, Agar Screen and E-test Methods for Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a nosocomial pathogen. Our main objective was to compare oxacillin disk test, oxacillin E-test, and oxacillin agar screen for detection of methicillin resistance in S. aureus, using real-time PCR for mecA as the “gold standard” comparison assay. 196 S. aureus isolates were identified out of 284 Staphylococcus isolates. These isolates were screened for MRSA with several methods: disk diffusion, agar screen (6.0 μg/ml), oxacillin E-test, and real-time PCR for detection of mecA gene. Of the 196 S. aureus isolates tested, 96 isolates (49%) were mecA-positive and 100 isolates (51%) mecA-negative. All methods tested had a statistically significant agreement with real-time PCR. E-test was 100% sensitive and specific for mecA presence. The sensitivity and specificity of oxacillin agar screen method were 98 and 99%, respectively and sensitivity and specificity of oxacillin disk diffusion method were 95 and 93%, respectively. In the present study, oxacillin E-test is proposed as the best phenotypic method. For economic reasons, the oxacillin agar screen method (6.0 μg/ml), which is suitable for the detection of MRSA, is recommended due to its accuracy and low cost.     

Serum concentrations of MCP-1 and IL-6 in combination predict the presence of coronary artery disease and mortality in subjects undergoing coronary angiography

The UBA–UBX domain-containing proteins can interact with ubiquitinated substrates and p97 during endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD). Here, we found that the expressions of all UBA–UBX genes p47, SAKS1, UBXD8, FAF1, and UBXD7 were elevated upon ER stress, albeit with different levels. Of which p47, SAKS1, and UBXD8 are ‘immediate’ respondents whereas FAF1 and UBXD7 were ‘late’ respondents to ER stress. Interestingly, the expression of specific UBA–UBX genes were altered in cells stably expressing three different ERAD substrates such as α-TCR, α1-antitrypsin, and δCD3. We first found that p47 and UBXD8 expression levels were increased in α-TCR and α1-antitrypsin stable cell lines, respectively, whereas SAKS1 expression level was reduced in all the three ERAD substrates tested. Of note, we also found p47 promotes, whereas SASK1 delays the degradation of a single ERAD substrate, α-TCR. Additionally, we found that SAKS1 selectively inhibits the degradation of ERAD substrates without affecting cytosolic proteasomal substrates. Taken together, our results identified that UBA–UBX proteins possess substrate selectivity and opposite role of two different UBA–UBX proteins in the degradation of a single ERAD substrate.     

中国大陆一新纪录种——美洲棘脊蓟马(缨翅目,蓟马科)及其分布和寄主植物

报道中国大陆1新纪录种,美洲棘脊蓟马Echinothrips americanus Morgan,1913(缨翅目,蓟马科,蓟马亚科),这也是棘蓟马属Echinothrips Moulton,1911在中国大陆的首次纪录.目前该种仅在我国北京海淀区的辣椒上发现.棘蓟马属以头、前胸背板和后胸背板具网状刻纹与针蓟马亚科Panchaetothripinae特征十分相近,但以发达的中胸内叉骨刺与之相区别.美洲棘蓟马系检疫性害虫,本文列出了它的世界分布和寄主植物种类.实证标本保存在浙江大学昆虫科学研究所.     

Sciatic nerve regeneration by transplantation of menstrual blood-derived stem cells

This is the first study demonstrating the efficacy of menstrual blood-derived stem cell (MenSC) transplantation via a neural guidance conduit, for peripheral nerve regeneration. The synthesized poly (?-caprolactone)/Gelatin conduit, filled with collagen type I and seeded with 3?×?10⁴ MenSCs, was implanted into a rat’s 10 mm sciatic nerve defect. The results of hot plate latency, sciatic functional index and weight-loss percentage of wet gastrocnemius muscle demonstrated that the MenSC transplantation had comparable nerve regeneration outcome to autograft, as the gold standard of nerve bridging. The transplantation of MenSCs via a synthetic conduit could ameliorate the functional recovery of sciatic nerve-injured rats which make them a potential candidate for cell therapy of peripheral nervous system disorders.     

美洲棘蓟马对不同蔬菜寄主的偏好性

比较了美洲棘蓟马对12种不同蔬菜和1种非蔬菜的偏好性,并通过对数线性模型和方差分析对结果进行了分析.结果显示美洲棘蓟马成虫对13种寄主植物的寄主偏好性及产卵选择性具有显著差异.该虫成虫在南瓜上分布最多,平均每株寄主植物达到23.5头,在油菜上的产卵量最大,每株达50.3粒.黄瓜、南瓜、油菜、黄豆和辣椒上成虫分布量每株均在10头以上,显著多于其他寄主;而上述5种寄主上的每株产卵量也均在30粒以上,显著多于除豆角以外的其它寄主.该虫在黄瓜上发育最快,15d左右即可完成其整个未成熟期;在辣椒上未成熟期存活率最高,为80.1％.上述结果将为该虫入侵风险的评估提供重要依据.     

Effect of Diets Supplemented with Different Levels of Manganese,Zinc, and Copper from their Organic or Inorganic Sources on Egg Production and Quality Characteristics in Laying Hens

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of zinc, manganese, and copper sources (inorganic vs. organic) in the diet on laying performance and eggshell quality characteristics. One hundred and eighty Hy-Line W-36 layers at 38 weeks of age were allocated to 36-layer cages of five hens each. Each six cages were randomly assigned to one of the six experimental diets fed from 38 to 53 week of age. In three experimental treatments, the basal diet was supplemented with 65–75–7 or 65–75–7 or 40–40–7 mg/kg of Zn, Mn, and Cu, respectively, from their oxide or sulfate sources. Three other groups were fed diets supplemented with 20–20–3.5 or 40–40–7.5 or 60–60–10.5 mg/kg of organic forms of Zn, Mn, and Cu, respectively. Dietary treatments significantly did affect feed intake (P < 0.001), feed conversion ratio (P < 0.001) and percentage of broken eggs (P < 0.05). Substitution of Zn and Mn oxides (65 and 75 mg kg⁻¹, respectively) with equal amounts of their sulfate forms significantly improved feed intake, feed conversion ratio, percentage of broken eggs, and Haugh Unit (P < 0.05). In addition, laying hens maintained their performance when substitution of Zn and Mn oxides and Cu sulfate (65, 75, and 7 mg kg⁻¹, respectively) reduced up to 20, 20, and 3.5 mg kg⁻¹ by amino acid complexes of the microelements. The results showed that a corn–soybean diet supplemented with the organic forms of Zn, Mn, and Cu at a dosage 50% to 75% lower than NRC recommendation is sufficient to maintain laying performance and can improve eggshell and albumen qualities of the egg in laying hens.