Effect of left ventricular remodeling after cardiac resynchronization therapy on frequency of ventricular arrhythmias

We evaluated whether cardiac resynchronization therapy affects the prevalence of ventricular tachycardia in relation to reverse remodeling in patients with end-stage heart failure. Clinical, echocardiographic, and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) data of 17 patients with ICDs were obtained before and after they had received an upgrade to an ICD-cardiac resynchronization therapy device.     

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction for Detection of Schistosoma DNA in Small-Volume Urine Samples Reflects Focal Distribution of Urogenital Schistosomiasis in Primary School Girls in KwaZulu Natal,South Africa

Schistosoma haematobium eggs and Schistosoma DNA levels were measured in urine samples from 708 girls recruited from 18 randomly sampled primary schools in South Africa. Microscopic analysis of two 10-mL urine subsamples collected on three consecutive days confirmed high day-to-day variation; 103 (14.5%) girls had positive results at all six examinations, and at least one positive sample was seen in 225 (31.8%) girls. Schistosoma-specific DNA, which was measured in a 200-μL urine subsample by using real-time polymerase chain reaction, was detected in 180 (25.4%) cases, and levels of DNA corresponded significantly with average urine egg excretion. In concordance with microscopic results, polymerase chain reaction results were significantly associated with history of gynecologic symptoms and confirmed highly focal distribution of urogenital schistosomiasis. Parasite-specific DNA detection has a sensitivity comparable to single urine microscopy and could be used as a standardized high-throughput procedure to assess distribution of urogenital schistosomiasis in relatively large study populations by using small sample volumes.     

Nicotine exposure during adolescence: cognitive performance and brain gene expression in adult heterozygous reeler mice

Rationale

We have recently reported nicotine-induced stimulation of reelin and glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) mRNA expression levels in the brain of heterozygous reeler mice (HRM), a putative animal model for the study of symptoms relevant to major behavioral disorders.

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate long-term behavioral effects and brain molecular changes as a result of adaptations to nicotine exposure in the developing HRM males.

Methods

Adolescent mice (pnd 37–42) were exposed to oral nicotine (10 mg/l) in a 6-day free-choice drinking schedule. As expected, no differences in total nicotine intake between WT (wild-type) mice and HRM were found.

Results

Long-term behavioral effects and brain molecular changes, as a consequence of nicotine exposure during adolescence, were only evidenced in HRM. Indeed, HRM perseverative exploratory behavior and poor cognitive performance were modulated to WT levels by subchronic exposure to nicotine during development. Furthermore, the expected reduction in the expression of mRNA of reelin and GAD67 in behaviorally relevant brain areas of HRM appeared persistently restored by nicotine. For brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression, no genotype-dependent changes appeared. However, expression levels were increased by previous nicotine in brains from both genotypes. The mRNA encoding for nicotine receptor subunits (α7, β2 and α4) did not differ between genotypes and as a result of previous nicotine exposure.

Conclusion

These findings support the hypothesis of pre-existing vulnerability (based on haploinsufficiency of reelin) to brain and behavioral disorders and regulative short- and long-term effects associated with nicotine modulation.