Cardiovascular Week articles from August 2008

Cardiovascular Week archives from August 2008

Medical University of Vienna details research in abdominal aortic aneurysm.
August 4, 2008... "In the treatment of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA), the results of open graft replacement (OGR) have remained constant but discouraging for the last 4 decades. Provided suitable anatomy, elective endovascular abdominal aortic...

New abdominal aortic aneurysm research from University of Pittsburgh discussed.
August 4, 2008... "The local dilation of the infrarenal abdominal aorta, termed an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), is often times asymptomatic and may eventually result in rupture-an event associated with a significant mortality rate. The estimation of in-vivo...

Data from M. Hacker et al provide new insights into allograft vasculopathy.
August 4, 2008... According to a study from Bad Tolz, Germany, " To evaluate the additional benefit of visual and quantitative perfusion measurements compared with conventional real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) in the detection of CAV. Methods...

Research reports from Wayne State University provide new insights into aneurysm.
August 4, 2008... "Quadricuspid aortic valve is a rare congenital anomaly. It may present as an isolated anomaly but is occasionally associated with aortic regurgitation," investigators in the United States report (see also Aneurysm). "Sinus of Valsalva...

New angiology study results reported from University of Rochester.(Report)
August 4, 2008... "Oxidative stress, generated by excessive reactive oxygen species, promotes cardiovascular disease. Cyclophilin A (CyPA) is a 20-kDa chaperone protein secreted from vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in response to reactive oxygen species...

Studies conducted at University of California on hypertrophy recently published.
August 4, 2008... "Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in integrin-mediated signal transduction. To explore the role and mechanisms of FAK in cardiac development, we inactivated FAK in embryonic...

New findings from University of Florence in the area of Marfan syndrome published.
August 4, 2008... "Fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1) mutations cause Marfan syndrome (MFS), an inherited connective tissue disorder with autosomal dominant transmission. Major clinical manifestations affect cardiovascular and skeletal apparatuses and ocular and central...

Data on cardiology published by researchers at Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Veterinary Medicine.(Report)
August 4, 2008... A report, 'Differences in ventricular vulnerability, serum enzyme activities, and electrolyte levels between male and female broilers,' is newly published data in Poultry Science. According to a study from Wuhan, People's Republic of China,...

Studies from Inje University, Medical Department further understanding of angiography.(Report)
August 4, 2008... According to recent research from South Korea, "The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of coronary-to-bronchial artery fistula (CBF) and clinical significance in 1300 patients examined with 64-multidetector computed tomography...

Report summarizes cardiology study findings from Columbus Children's Hospital.
August 4, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "The heart is formed from cardiogenic progenitors expressing the transcription factors Nkx2-5 and Isl1 ( refs 1 and 2). These multipotent progenitors give rise to cardiomyocyte, smooth muscle...

Research on cardiology reported by Z. Hertelendi et al.(Report)
August 4, 2008... According to a study from Debrecen, Hungary, "This study sought to characterize the relation between the oxidation of protein sulfhydryl (SH) groups and Ca2+-activated force production in the human myocardium. Triton-permeabilized left...

Study data from Turku University provide new insights into cardiovascular research.(Clinical report)
August 4, 2008... "The cardioprotective effects of certain alcoholic beverages are partly related to their polyphenol content, which may improve the vasodilatory reactivity of arteries. Effect of cognac on coronary circulation, however, remains unknown,"...

Study data from University of Manitoba update knowledge of DNA research.
August 4, 2008... "Fibroblast growth factor 16 (FGF16) is preferentially expressed in the heart after birth, suggesting its regulation is associated with tissue-specific chromatin remodeling and DNA-protein interactions. Here we have mapped the transcription...

Research from University of Paris has provided new data on phosphodiesterase.
August 4, 2008... According to recent research from Chatenay-Malabry, France, "Steady-state activation of cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors leads to an intracellular compartmentation of cAMP resulting from localized cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE)...

Scientists at University of Lausanne publish research in right ventricular dysfunction.
August 4, 2008... In this recently published article, scientists in Lausanne, Switzerland conducted a study "To compare the indices of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) obtained from axial transverse images with those derived from the reconstructed 4-chamber...

Research from A. Conti and co-authors in the area of cardiology published.(Report)
August 4, 2008... Scientists discuss in 'Cardiac and metabolic demands of in place shallow water running in trained and untrained men' new findings in cardiology. "The aim of this study was to assess maximal cardiac and metabolic demand imposed by in place...

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University release new data on cardiology.
August 4, 2008... Researchers detail in 'Cardiac cine MRI: Quantification of the relationship between fast gradient echo and steady-state free precession for determination of myocardial mass and volumes,' new data in cardiology. In this recently published...

Studies from Columbia University update current data on cardiology.
August 4, 2008... Current study results from the report, 'Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-dependent protein kinase C delta-Tyr311 phosphorylation in cardiomyocyte caveolae,' have been published. "Protein kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta) activation is generally...

Study examines prevalence of hearing loss in the US.(Clinical report)
August 11, 2008... Hearing loss may be more prevalent in American adults than previously reported, according to a study in the July 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals (see also JAMA and Archives Journals). Hearing...

New discovery may lead to immunization against cardiovascular disease.
August 11, 2008... Low levels of naturally occurring antibodies may represent an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, particularly stroke in men. This discovery, published in the academic journal Atherosclerosis, has now led to attempts to develop...

Studies from Graz University in the area of abdominal aorta described.
August 11, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering - Transactions of the ASME, "Aortic dissection occurs frequently and is clinically challenging; the underlying mechanics remain unclear. The present study...

New abdominal aortic aneurysm study results reported from M. Coggia et al.(Report)
August 11, 2008... "This study describes our experience of total laparoscopic juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (JAAA) repair. Between February 2002 and October 2007, we performed 148 total laparoscopic AAA repairs, including a subset of 13 patients who...

Report summarizes abdominal aortic aneurysm study findings from Sun Yet-Sen University.
August 11, 2008... "The maximal strain, stress, elastic modulus, and stress-strain curve fitting of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and bidirectional nonaneurysmal abdominal aorta (NAA) were measured and analyzed to obtain the ultimate mechanical properties, the...

New arrhythmia research has been reported by H. Matsutani et al.(Report)
August 11, 2008... According to recent research published in the Circulation Journal, " ECG-gating is necessary for cardiac computed tomography, but is not suitable for arrhythmias, so the aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the ECG-edit function...

Reports by R. Alcaraz and co-researchers describe recent advances in arrhythmia.
August 11, 2008... According to recent research from Cuenca, Spain, "Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia with episodes that may terminate spontaneously in the first stages of the disease. On the other hand, when the arrhythmia is not...

Study results from M.A.B. Bigi and colleagues broaden understanding of Brugada syndrome.(Clinical report)
August 11, 2008... " Risk stratification in Brugada syndrome (BS) is controversial especially in asymptomatic individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in BS," researchers in Iran report (see also...

Reports outline endotoxemia study results from Kitasato University, Medical Department.
August 11, 2008... "Leukotrienes (LTs), metabolites of arachidonic acid through 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), have been known to play a role in leukocyte recruitment. However, the contribution of LTB4 to liver microcirculatory dysfunction during endotoxemia remains...

Reports from State University of New York highlight recent research in life sciences.
August 11, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Spatially discordant alternans (SDA) has been linked to life-threatening arrhythmias. The mechanisms underlying SDA development in cardiac tissue remain unclear." "We investigated the...

New tachycardia research from University of Potsdam discussed.
August 11, 2008... "The objective was to determine the characteristics of heart rate variability and ventricular arrhythmias prior to the onset of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Sixty-eight...

Study data from A. Samman and colleagues update understanding of tetralogy of fallot.(Report)
August 11, 2008... " Adult patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) often have diminished exercise capacity. The primary objective of this study was to examine whether abnormalities of biventricular function play a role in exercise limitation in patients...

Reports outline ventricular fibrillation study findings from H.N. Pak and colleagues.
August 11, 2008... " Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) targeting the left ventricular posteroseptum (LVPS) and posterior papillary muscle (PPM) terminates or prevents ventricular fibrillation (VF) in rabbit and dog hearts," researchers in Seoul, South Korea...

Data from University of Utah provide new insights into cardiology.
August 11, 2008... "Cardiac cells are electrically coupled through gap junction channels, which allow ionic current to spread intercellularly from one cell to the next. In addition, it is possible that cardiac cells are coupled through the electric potential in...

Investigators at Tor Vergata University publish new data on cardiology.
August 11, 2008... According to recent research from Rome, Italy, "Mechanical interplay between the adjacent ventricles is one of the principal modulators of physiopathological heart function, and the underlying mechanisms of interaction are only partially...

New cardiology research has been reported by A. Bravo et al.
August 11, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics, "Cardiac function is. routinely assessed from X-rays angiograms acquired at the cardiac catheterization rooms. Currently, the evaluation of cardiac...

Report summarizes cardiology study findings from P. Raggi and co-researchers.(Report)
August 11, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Objectives We sought to study the prognostic utility of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in the elderly. The prognostic significance of CAC in the elderly is not well known." " All-cause...

Research from Cleveland Clinic yields new data on cardiology.(Report)
August 11, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Objectives Our purpose was to investigate a new approach to bicommissural repair of regurgitant aortic valves. Repair of regurgitant aortic valves is not widely accepted, but interest is...

Researchers from Harvard University, Medical Department report on findings in cardiology.(Report)
August 11, 2008... "Objectives We sought to determine whether the type of shunt used at stage one palliation (S1P) affected the survival and the perioperative course through Fontan completion. Although improved surgical and interstage survival have been...

Reports from University of Milan advance knowledge in cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation.
August 11, 2008... " At sea level, ventilation kinetics are characterized during a ramp exercise by three progressively steeper slopes, the first from the beginning of exercise to anaerobic threshold, the second from anaerobic threshold to respiratory...

Research in the area of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation reported from S.P. Ives and colleagues.
August 11, 2008... " Stroke survivors are at high risk of recurrent strokes and other vascular events. Smoking is an established risk factor for stroke, with cessation recommended for secondary prevention," investigators in London, the United Kingdom report (see...

Recent findings in magnetic resonance described by researchers from Northwestern University.
August 11, 2008... "The magnetohydrodynamic effect generates voltages related to blood flow, which are superimposed on the electrocardiogram (ECG) used for gating during cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)," scientists writing in the journal Medical &...

Study data from University of Freiburg provide new insights into pacemakers.
August 11, 2008... According to a study from Freiburg, Germany, " Cellular excitability is not only determined by the type but also by the number of ion channels in the plasma membrane. Recent evidence indicates that cell surface expression of cardiac pacemaker...

Reports summarize cardiology study results from S. Navet and co-researchers.(Report)
August 11, 2008... Researchers detail in 'Somatic muscle development in Sepia officinalis (cephalopoda - mollusca): a new role for NK4,' new data in cardiology. "Cephalopods are emerging as new developmental models. These lophotrochozoans exhibit numerous...

Clinilabs Achieves Mortara Certified Partner Status.
August 11, 2008... Clinilabs, Inc., a specialty contract research organization (CRO), is now a Mortara Certified Partner capable of collecting, processing, and transmitting annotated ECG data compliant with ECG Warehouse requirements. The Clinilabs ECG Core...

EBR Systems, Inc. Raises $35M Series C Financing.
August 11, 2008... EBR Systems Inc., a development stage, venture-backed medical device company, completed Series C financing of $35M on June 12, 2008. EBR Systems is developing a novel technology, the first leadless pacing system for cardiac stimulation...

eCardio Diagnostics Strengthens Corporate Team.
August 11, 2008... eCardio Diagnostics announced the appointment of two key members to its corporate executive team. Andrew Arroyo joins the company as Vice President of Information Technology and Rachael Lille Moore assumes the role of Director of Marketing and...

Philips Introduces HD15 Ultrasound System.
August 11, 2008... Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) announced the latest addition to its HD ultrasound family of products. The Philips HD15 ultrasound system provides physicians with superb imaging and workflow performance in a cost-effective...

Crescent City Physicians, Inc. (CCPI) Chooses Intergy EHR by Sage Integrated Electronic Health Records and Practice Management System.
August 11, 2008... Crescent City Physicians, Inc. (CCPI) has chosen the Intergy EHR by Sage integrated electronic health records and practice management system to meet the clinical and administrative management needs of its ambulatory care practices. CCPI's...

Crescent City Physicians, Inc. CCPI Chooses Intergy EHR by Sage Integrated Electronic Health Records and Practice Management System.
August 11, 2008... Crescent City Physicians, Inc. (CCPI) has chosen the Intergy EHR by Sage integrated electronic health records and practice management system to meet the clinical and administrative management needs of its ambulatory care practices. CCPI's...

SMBology Adds Six New Houston-Area Clients to Its Expanding Roster; Company Experiencing Accelerated Growth.(Report)
August 11, 2008... SMBology Inc., an IT services company for the midmarket, announced six new client wins. The six new clients are: Nachol Law, East End Chamber of Commerce, Advanced Cardiovascular, Red Oak Capital, Hardy Machines and BioMetrics Plus. SMBology...

Study data from University of Verona update understanding of abdominal aortic aneurysm.(Report)
August 18, 2008... "A diagnosis of concomitant pulmonary carcinoma and abdominal aortic aneurysm is rare ( "This article reports on our experience of 14 cases of concomitant pulmonary carcinoma and abdominal aortic aneurysm. From April 1987 to June 2006 we...

Researchers from Indiana University report details of new studies and findings in the area of acute ischemia.(Report)
August 18, 2008... "Acute ischemia depresses tissue excitability more rapidly in the epicardium than in the endocardium of the canine left ventricular (LV) free wall. However, the effects of acute ischemia on conduction in the interventricular septum (IVS), which...

Alcohol Consumption Declining, According to Results of New Study.
August 18, 2008... Overall alcohol useuparticularly consumption of beeruis declining in the US, according to a new study published in the August 2008 issue of The American Journal of Medicine. Researchers examined 50 years of data and found several changes in...

New aneurysm study findings have been reported by scientists at Kyoto University, Medical Department.
August 18, 2008... According to a study from Kyoto, Japan, "Although left ventricular restoration is effective for treating ischemic cardiomyopathy caused by left ventricular remodeling and redilation, the initial improvement in left ventricular function is not...

Reports outline angina research from C. Ginghina and colleagues.
August 18, 2008... "Dilatation of the pulmonary artery may lead to the compression of adjacent structures. Of those, the extrinsic compression of the left main coronary artery is the most worrisome," investigators in Bucharest, Romania report (see also Angina)....

New findings in arrhythmia described from University of Calgary.
August 18, 2008... "A number of RyR2 (cardiac ryanodine receptor) mutations linked to ventricular arrhythmia and sudden death are located within the last C-terminal similar to 500 amino acid residues, which is believed to constitute the ion-conducting pore and...

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University target arrhythmia.(Report)
August 18, 2008... "Delayed ventricular arrhythmias during acute myocardial ischemia (1B arrhythmias) are associated with an increase in tissue impedance and are most likely sustained in a thin subepicardial Layer. The goat of this study was to test the...

Reports from J.M.P. Degodoy and co-researchers add new data to research in Buerger disease.
August 18, 2008... According to a study from Brazil, "We report two cases of acute compartment syndrome in the anterior compartment of the lower limbs of patients with the diagnosis of Buerger disease associated with positive anticardiolipin antibodies." "We...

Research in the area of cardiology reported from L. Li and colleagues.(Report)
August 18, 2008... "For more than 50 years, it has been assumed that ventricular fibrillation (VF) is maintained solely by reentry in the working myocardium. This hypothesis has never been tested by recording VF with electrodes spaced sufficiently close to map...

Research from University of Liverpool in life sciences provides new insights.
August 18, 2008... " To estimate the burden of cardiovascular disease within 15 European Union countries (before the 2004 enlargement) as a result of excess dietary saturated fats attributable to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). A spreadsheet model was...

New oxygenators study findings reported from C.P. Napoleone and co-authors.
August 18, 2008... "We describe our initial clinical experience with the new hollow fibre membrane oxygenator Dideco Kids D100, used in five patients with a mean age of 21 +/- 28 days," scientists in Bologna, Italy report (see also Oxygenators). "The priming...

Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography Names Young Investigators Award Winners.
August 18, 2008... Continuing to foster and support innovation for computed tomography (CT) applications and improving patient care, the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) has named the winners of the second annual Young Investigators Award...

Research findings from University of Arizona, Sarver Heart Center update understanding of ventricular fibrillation.(Report)
August 18, 2008... A report, 'Immediate post-shock chest compressions improve outcome from prolonged ventricular fibrillation,' is newly published data in Resuscitation. "This study was designed to test the hypothesis that immediate post-shock chest compressions...

Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, College of Medicine detail findings in atrial fibrillation.(Report)
August 18, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Although defective Ca2+ homeostasis may contribute to arrhythmogenesis in atrial fibrillation (AF), the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Studies in patients with AF...

Studies from University of Pennsylvania update current data on cardiology.(Report)
August 18, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Objectives The aim of this study was to describe exercise performance during the first 2 decades of life in Fontan survivors by a cross-sectional study and to identify factors that influence...

Reports outline cardiovascular medicine research from University of Tokyo, Medical Department.
August 18, 2008... "Since its conception, the metabolic syndrome has received worldwide recognition as a useful clinical aid for predicting cardiovascular risk. The earliest definition, which included risk factors such as insulin resistance, hyperglycemia,...

Scientists at University Hospital detail research in cardiovascular nursing.
August 18, 2008... "Post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) length of hospital stay (LOHS) is one of the key modifiers of hospital cost and quality assessment. Commencing 2000, the cardiovascular services at our institution engaged in a continuous quality...

Researchers from Cornell University report on findings in cardiovascular research.
August 18, 2008... "Evidence-based medicine has emerged in response to empiric clinical decision-making with the quest of infusing more ''science'' into the process of caring for the sick. Yet, evidence-based medicine today is being applied to clinical practice...

Data on cardiology reported by investigators at Maastricht University, Cardiovascular Research Institute.
August 18, 2008... Current study results from the report, 'Regulation of sarcolemmal glucose and fatty acid transporters in cardiac disease,' have been published. "Circulating long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and glucose are the main sources for energy production in...

AtriCure Reports Record Second Quarter 2008 Financial Results.(Financial report)
August 18, 2008... AtriCure, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATRC), a medical device company and a leader in cardiac surgical ablation systems, announced record second quarter 2008 revenues of $14.9 million and record revenues for each line of business (see also AtriCure, Inc.)....

Bioheart, Inc., Announces Letter of Intent to Acquire MEDICALGORITHMICS, Ltd.
August 18, 2008... Bioheart, Inc., (NASDAQ:BHRT), announced it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent to acquire MEDICALGORITHMICS, Ltd. and the worldwide rights to the POCKETECG, a real-time wireless beat-to-beat, intelligent heart monitor and...

Fitch Rates Northeast Georgia Health System 2008 Rev Bonds 'A'.
August 18, 2008... Fitch Ratings has assigned an underlying 'A' rating to approximately $155.8 million Hall County and Gainesville Hospital Authority revenue anticipation certificates (Northeast Georgia Health System, Inc. Project), series 2008A, G, and H. In...

Nuclear counterstain DRAQ5 provides a far-red horizon for immunohistochemistry.
August 18, 2008... The far-red fluorescing nuclear counterstain DRAQ5, widely used for live cell imaging and flow cytometry, has also been validated by many recent publications for a wide range of fixatives, frozen and paraffin-embedded preparations. Due to...

VAP Cholesterol Test Bolsters Biophysical Health Assessment; Biophysical Corporation adds advanced cholesterol testing capabilities.
August 18, 2008... Atherotech, Inc., a cardio-diagnostic company, announced that its VAP Cholesterol Test is now included in Biophysical Corporation's newly released health assessment, BiophysicalCheck (see also Life Sciences). The announcement means that...

Premier Healthcare Alliance Now Recruiting Teams for 8th Annual Collaborative Breakthrough Series.
August 18, 2008... Registration is underway for teams to participate in the Premier healthcare alliance's Eighth Annual Collaborative Breakthrough Series (BTS 8). In seven years, the series has captured more than $170 million in savings for Premier member...

Air pollution damages more than lungs: Heart and blood vessels suffer too.
August 25, 2008... As athletes from around the world compete in the Beijing Olympics, many are on alert for respiratory problems caused by air pollution. They should also be concerned about its toxic effects on the heart and cardiovascular system, mounting...

Reports summarize allograft nephropathy study results from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.(Report)
August 25, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Transplantation Proceedings, "Our previous study demonstrated that anti-stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) antibody delayed graft arteriosclerosis in rat abdominal aortic grafts. In this...

New aneurysm research has been reported by I. Delimaris et al.
August 25, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Clinical Biochemistry, "Oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to estimate the extent of oxidative stress in patients with...

Reports summarize angiology study results from J.H. Beattie and co-researchers.
August 25, 2008... According to a study from Scotland, "Human zinc deficiency is a global problem and may influence the development of cardiovascular disease. Our objective was to determine Zn deficiency affected pathways and protein interactions in rat aorta and...

Data on angioplasty discussed by researchers at Northwestern University.
August 25, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) with embolic protection is an acceptable alternative to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in selected patients with symptomatic cervical carotid artery...

Research on angioplasty detailed by G. Zucchelli and co-authors.
August 25, 2008... "A 68-year-old man, 54 months after having been implanted with a biventricular device, underwent successful extraction of the malfunctioning left ventricular (LV) lead using mechanical dilation. During LV lead reimplantation, venography...

New aortic stenosis findings from N. Jander and co-researchers published.
August 25, 2008... "Surgery of aortic valve stenosis (AS) is often dependent on whether stenosis is considered severe, as defined by aortic valve area (AVA) and/or mean pressure gradient (dPm) criteria set forth by the American College of Cardiology/American...

Studies from K. Wachtell et al provide new data on aortic stenosis.
August 25, 2008... "Some asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis (AS) are at higher risk of impending symptom onset or adverse clinical outcome than others. This article explores whether parameters of left ventricular (LV) systolic performance may identify...

New research on arrhythmia from University Hospital summarized.(Report)
August 25, 2008... "This study compares different parameters of right atrial size evaluated by two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography with right atrial volume measured using three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE). One hundred sixty-three consecutive patients...

Studies from Umea University provide new data on arrhythmia.
August 25, 2008... "Cardiac autonomic dysfunction is a common complication of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), but cardiac arrhythmia and conduction disturbances are also common. We analyzed heart rate variability (HRV) in FAP patients using power...