Integration of Merged Delayed‐Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Multidetector Computed Tomography for the Guidance of Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation: A Pilot Study

MDCT/MRI Fusion for the Guidance of VT Ablation . Background: Delayed enhancement (DE) MRI can assess the fibrotic substrate of scar‐related VT. MDCT has the advantage of inframillimetric spatial resolution and better 3D reconstructions. We sought to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of integrating merged MDCT/MRI data in 3D‐mapping systems for structure–function assessment and multimodal guidance of VT mapping and ablation. Methods: Nine patients, including 3 ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), 3 nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM), 2 myocarditis, and 1 redo procedure for idiopathic VT, underwent MRI and MDCT before VT ablation. Merged MRI/MDCT data were integrated in 3D‐mapping systems and registered to high‐density endocardial and epicardial maps. Low‐voltage areas (<1.5 mV) and local abnormal ventricular activities (LAVA) during sinus rhythm were correlated to DE at MRI, and wall‐thinning (WT) at MDCT. Results: Endocardium and epicardium were mapped with 391 ± 388 and 1098 ± 734 points per map, respectively. Registration of MDCT allowed visualization of coronary arteries during epicardial mapping/ablation. In the idiopathic patient, integration of MRI data identified previously ablated regions. In ICM patients, both DE at MRI and WT at MDCT matched areas of low voltage (overlap 94 ± 6% and 79 ± 5%, respectively). In NICM patients, wall‐thinning areas matched areas of low voltage (overlap 63 ± 21%). In patients with myocarditis, subepicardial DE matched areas of epicardial low voltage (overlap 92 ± 12%). A total number of 266 LAVA sites were found in 7/9 patients. All LAVA sites were associated to structural substrate at imaging (90% inside, 100% within 18 mm). Conclusion: The integration of merged MDCT and DEMRI data is feasible and allows combining substrate assessment with high‐spatial resolution to better define structure–function relationship in scar‐related VT. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 24, pp. 419‐426, April 2013)     

Intermittent Capture of the Left Bundle With Permanent His Bundle Pacing: Mechanistic Insights and Implications for an Emerging Field

We present a case of a patient with elevated His lead capture thresholds and intermittent recruitment of the left bundle. The patient underwent a noninvasive electrophysiology study and was determined to have a left bundle branch block due to postrepolarization refractoriness. The nature of bundle branch block can have important implications for optimal patient selection and device programming in the emerging field of His bundle pacing.     

6种中药多糖对诱导树突状细胞成熟及刺激T细胞抗肿瘤作用的比较

目的:比较6种中药多糖对树突状细胞(DC)诱导成熟及刺激T细胞活化、杀伤肿瘤的能力.方法:分离人外周血单核细胞,经体外诱导培养为未成熟DC.用冻融法制备肝癌细胞完全抗原并致敏未成熟DC,成熟DC进一步激活特异性效应T细胞.用MTT法测定效应T细胞对肝癌细胞的杀伤率,观察枸杞子多糖、猪芩多糖、茯苓多糖、灵芝多糖、黄芪多糖和当归多糖6味中药多糖对人树突状细胞成熟、刺激T细胞增殖能力和对肿瘤细胞的杀伤能力.结果:经6种中药多糖诱导的DC分子表达有明显变化,MHCⅡ+、CD86+、CD83+(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),而经RPMI-1640培养的DC分子表达与培养前无明显变化.经6种中药多糖诱导的DC均能促进效应T细胞的增殖能力(P＜0.01),效应T细胞能有效地杀伤肝癌细胞(P＜0.05),而对MG-63细胞不能有效杀伤(P＞0.05).其中枸杞多糖对上述功能的作用最为明显(P＜0.05).结论:上述6种中药多糖均可诱导DC分化与成熟,刺激T细胞增殖和肿瘤杀伤活性,枸杞多糖与其余5种多糖比较,对上述功能的作用最为明显.     

气相色谱法测定治冻灵软膏中樟脑的含量

目的:建立治冻灵中樟脑含量的气相色谱测定法.方法:色谱柱:聚乙二醇 20 M 弹性石英毛细管柱(CP WAX 52 CB,30 m×0.25 mm,DF＝0.25 μm);FID检测器;水杨酸甲酯为内标.结果:樟脑的线性范围0.975 5～4.877 6 mg·mL-1,r＝0.999 9,平均加样回收率98.48%(RSD＝1.29%,n＝6).结论:该方法准确,简便,可有效控制制剂的质量.     

Coeliac disease,epilepsy, and cerebral calcifications: association with TG6 autoantibodies

A 4‐year‐old boy presented with occipital seizures but normal initial neuroimaging and proved refractory to antiepileptic medications. On repeat neuroimaging after 1 year, he had developed bi‐occipital calcification and was then found to have positive coeliac serology. He was diagnosed with coeliac disease, epilepsy, and cerebral calcifications (CEC) and became seizure free after starting the gluten‐free diet. Positive antibody binding to neurons and glia was demonstrated on indirect immunofluorescence. High levels of immunoglobulin‐A directed against transglutaminase isoenzyme 6 (TG6) were found in the patient’s serum. The positive response to the diet, TG6 antibodies, and neuronal antibody binding suggest that CEC might be autoimmune in nature, as in other extra‐intestinal manifestations of gluten‐related diseases, such as gluten ataxia.     

Cutaneous Alternariosis in an Adolescent Patient

Abstract:  Cutaneous alternariosis is a rare infection typically observed only in immunocompromised adults, but we report here that the infection can occur in apparently healthy adolescents. We saw a clinically healthy adolescent boy who presented with cutaneous alternariosis 6 weeks after suffering a laceration to his right ankle. Treatment with itraconazole resulted in significant improvement after 1 month.     

Effects of an acaricide on mite allergen levels in the homes of asthmatic children

Previous study by the current authors has shown that treating homes with D'Allergen, an acaricidal agent, can reduce bronchial hyper-reactivity in asthmatic children with house dust mite allergy. In the present study, the effects of a single D'Allergen treatment on the levels of major dust mite allergens, Der p I and Der f I was evaluated, and the duration of its effectiveness in the environment determined. Twenty randomly selected homes were treated with the acaricide and ten remained untreated. Dust samples were collected from mattresses, upholstered sofas and carpets of these homes before and 1, 2 and 4 months after treatment. The samples were then assayed for Der p I and Der f I allergens using a sandwich enzyme immunoassay. The results showed that D'Allergen was effective in reducing dust mite allergen levels in all three niches by 1.5–22.3 times below baseline values. This effect, however, was only present for 2 months, and the dust mite allergen levels increased to those of the baseline by the fourth month after treatment. These results indicated that repeated applications of the acaricide were required at 2–3 monthly intervals to obtain optimal effectiveness.     

Working memory and preparation elicit different patterns of slow wave event-related brain potentials

Some event-related brain potential (ERP) studies of working memory have used delayed match-to-sample designs in which a stimulus (S1) is held in memory for comparison with a subsequent stimulus (S2). During the S1-S2 interval, ERP slow negativities varied with both the type and amount of material held in working memory. One interpretation is that these slow waves index working memory operations. An alternative explanation is that they only reflect general preparatory processing for the response to S2. To decide between these explanations, we used two visual processing tasks that required similar preparation for S2. In one task, visual memory rehearsal operations were required. During the S1-S2 interval, there were clear differences between the amplitudes, topographies, and the effect of information load on the slow waves in the two tasks, thus ruling out preparation only as an explanation.