Heart operation

The cardiac transverse (T)-tubule membrane system is the safeguard for cardiac function and undergoes dramatic remodeling in response to cardiac stress. However, the mechanism by which cardiomyocytes repair damaged T-tubule network remains unclear. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that MG53, a muscle-specific membrane repair protein, antagonizes T-tubule damage to protect against maladaptive remodeling and thereby loss of excitation-contraction coupling and cardiac function. Using MG53-knockout (MG53-KO) mice, we first established that deficiency of MG53 had no impact on maturation of the T-tubule network in developing hearts...

While biomarkers have greatly impacted the diagnosis and management of myocardial infarction and heart failure, the use of biomarkers has been slow to permeate management of atrial fibrillation. Guideline recommendations on the use of biomarkers in atrial fibrillation were virtually non-existent until the 2016 European Society of Cardiology guidelines on atrial fibrillation offered a class IIb recommendation to consider using biomarkers such as high sensitivity troponin and natriuretic peptide to further refine stroke and bleeding risk in atrial fibrillation patients...

A causal role of hypercholesterolemia in non-ischemic heart failure has never been demonstrated. Adeno-associated viral serotype 8 (AAV8)-low-density lipoprotein receptor (AAV8-LDLr) gene transfer was performed in LDLr-deficient mice without and with pressure overload induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC). AAV8-LDLr gene therapy resulted in an 82.8% (p < 0.0001) reduction of plasma cholesterol compared with controls. Mortality rate was lower (p < 0.05) in AAV8-LDLr TAC mice compared with control TAC mice (hazard ratio for mortality 0...

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: With more cement augmentation procedures done, the occurrence of serious complications is also expected to rise. Symptomatic central cement embolization is a rare but very serious complication. Moreover, the pathophysiology and treatment of intrathoracic cement embolism remain controversial. PURPOSE: In this case series, we are trying to identify various presentations and suggest our emergent management scheme for symptomatic central cement embolization...

Transplant of human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CMs) cell-sheet is a promising approach for treating ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). However, poor blood supply to the transplanted cell-sheet is a concern related to the effectiveness and durability of the treatment. Herein, we hypothesized that the combined the omentum flap might enhance survival and the therapeutic effects of hiPS-CM cell-sheet transplant for ICM treatment. Treatment by Wnt signaling molecules in hiPS cells produced hiPS-CMs, which were magnetically labeled by superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO), followed by culture in the thermoresponsive dishes to generate hiPS-CMs cell-sheets...

OBJECTIVE: To examine the ability of the low-frequency/high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio of heart rate variability (HRV) analysis to identify patients with sepsis at risk of early deterioration. METHODS: This is a prospective observational cohort study of patients with sepsis presenting to the Montefiore Medical Center ED from December 2014 through September 2015. On presentation, a single ECG Holter recording was obtained and analysed to obtain the LF/HF ratio of HRV...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers of vascular function in pediatric pulmonary hypertension. METHOD: Fourteen pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension patients underwent simultaneous right heart catheterization (RHC) and blood biochemical analysis. Univariate and stepwise multivariate linear regression was used to identify and correlate measures of reactive and resistive afterload with circulating miRNA levels...

BACKGROUND Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is efficacious in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF); however, because it is non-physiological, some patients are unresponsive. The present study used rate-adaptive atrioventricular delay (RAAVD) to track the physiological atrioventricular delay and investigated the effects of left univentricular pacing on CRT. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients with CHF fulfilling the indication of CRT Class I were categorized into a left univentricular pacing by RAAVD group and a standard biventricular pacing group...

Coaching has been often viewed as a context within which coaches operate to largely bring about changes in athlete's performance and wellbeing. One key factor to successful outcomes in coaching is the quality of the relationship between coaches and athletes. In this article, I propose that the coach-athlete relationship is at the heart of coaching. Moreover, the aim is to describe and explain how the quality of the relationship coaches and athletes develop and maintain over the course of their sporting partnership alongside coaches and athletes' knowledge and outcomes, form a system that is capable of defining coaching effectiveness and success...

The protective effect and the mechanism of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) on myocardial infarction (MI) in mice were explored. A total of 12 female Tg-ERβ transgenic mice and 12 non-transgenic littermate control (NLC) wild-type C57 mice were used for the present study. Both transgenic and wild-type mice had similar baseline data such as age, sex, and weight. The mouse model of MI was established by coronary artery ligation method, and the cardiac structure and function changes of the mouse were observed by ultrasonic echocardiography on days 1, 3 and 7 after the operation...

The objective of the present study was to evaluate image quality and radiation dosage using a low-dose prospectively electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated computed tomography (CT) protocol for dual-source angiography in children with complex congenital heart disease. A total of 206 patients with complex congenital heart disease were equally assigned into two groups at random. The children in group A underwent low-dose retrospective ECG-gated CT scanning with an ECG-pulsing technique, and group B underwent prospective ECG-gated scanning with an ECG-pulsing technique...

OBJECTIVES: Cholecystectomy after endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is associated with improved outcomes compared to ES alone, however randomized trials have included mainly fit surgical candidates. Our objective was to assess the impact of cholecystectomy after ES among elderly patients, in whom the perceived risks of surgery may be increased and the prevailing bias may be to defer cholecystectomy. METHODS: We performed adjusted analyses comparing clinical outcomes in patients ≥65 years of age who did and did not undergo follow-up cholecystectomy after endoscopic sphincterotomy for choledocholithiasis, ascending cholangitis, or gallstone pancreatitis...

BACKGROUND: New-onset complete heart block (CHB) commonly complicates cardiac surgery, for which some patients require a permanent pacemaker (PPM). Little is known regarding late atrioventricular (AV) conduction recovery. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the incidence and predictors of late AV conduction recovery among patients requiring PPM after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Consecutive patients receiving PPM for CHB following cardiac surgery at a high-volume US center from 2000-2014 were evaluated...

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to (1) identify the incidence of surgical delay in hip fractures, (2) evaluate the time point surgical delay puts patients at increased risk for complications, and (3) identify risk factors for surgical delay in the setting of surgical management of hip fractures. METHODS: A multi-center database was queried for patients of 60 years of age or older undergoing surgical treatment of a hip fracture. Surgical delay was defined by days from admission until surgical intervention...

OBJECTIVE: Predicting cardiac events is essential to provide patients with the best medical care and to assess the risk-benefit ratio of surgical procedures. The aim of our study was to evaluate the performance of the Revised Cardiac Risk Index (Lee) and the Vascular Study Group of New England Cardiac Risk Index (VSG) scores for the prediction of major cardiac events in unselected patients undergoing arterial surgery and to determine whether the inclusion of additional risk factors improved their accuracy...

Heart rate monitoring plays a critical role in personal healthcare management. A low-cost, non-invasive and user-friendly heart rate monitoring system is highly desirable. Here, a self-powered wireless Body Sensor Network (BSN) system is developed for heart rate monitoring via integration of a downy-structure based triboelectric nanogenerator (D-TENG), a power management circuit, a heart rate sensor, a signal processing unit and Bluetooth module for wireless data transmission. By converting the inertia energy of human walking into electric power, a maximum power of 2...

BACKGROUND: We report our experience with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in patients with rupture of heart and major vessels caused by severe chest trauma. METHODS: From April 2015 to May 2016, 10 patients with suspected injuries to the heart and major vessels following focused assessment with sonography in trauma or computed tomography were selected from patients admitted at a level I trauma centre presenting with cardiac tamponade and tension haemothorax due to severe chest trauma...

INTRODUCTION: Pneumonia is associated with considerable mortality. However, the information on age-specific prognostic factors for death from pneumonia is limited. METHODS: Patients hospitalised with a diagnosis of pneumonia through the emergency department were stratified into three age groups: 18-64 years; 65-84 years; and ≥ 85 years. Multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were conducted to evaluate prognostic factors for mortality and the performance of pneumonia severity scoring tools for mortality prediction...

BACKGROUND: Heart transplantation is no longer considered an experimental operation, but rather a standard treatment; nevertheless the context has changed substantially in recent years owing to donor shortage. The aim of this study was to review the heart transplant experience focusing on very long-term survival (≥ 20 years) and to compare the initial results with the current era. METHODS: From April 1983 through April 1995, 156 consecutive patients underwent heart transplantation...

Advanced capabilities in electrical recording are essential for the treatment of heart-rhythm diseases. The most advanced technologies use flexible integrated electronics; however, the penetration of biological fluids into the underlying electronics and any ensuing electrochemical reactions pose significant safety risks. Here, we show that an ultrathin, leakage-free, biocompatible dielectric layer can completely seal an underlying layer of flexible electronics while allowing for electrophysiological measurements through capacitive coupling between tissue and the electronics, and thus without the need for direct metal contact...