107 research outputs found
Functional and structural correlates of persistent ST elevation after acute myocardial infarction successfully treated by percutaneous coronary intervention
No full textFunctional and structural correlates of persistent ST elevation after acute myocardial infarction successfully treated by percutaneous coronary intervention.
Galiuto L, Barchetta S, Paladini S, Lanza G, Rebuzzi AG, Marzilli M, Crea F.
Source
Institute of Cardiology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. [email protected]
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
In the thrombolytic era, persistence of ST-segment elevation was considered a marker of left ventricular (LV) aneurysm. ST-segment elevation may still be found persistently raised after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Echocardiographic correlates of this finding, however, are still poorly known.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
82 consecutive patients with first ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and successful PCI were divided into patients with persistent ST-segment elevation at discharge (sum of ST >4 mm) (n = 33) and those without persistent ST-segment elevation (n = 49). Conventional and myocardial contrast echocardiography were performed at discharge and at 6 months. At discharge, LV aneurysm was more common in patients with persistent ST elevation (27% vs 8%, p<0.005). Similarly, the wall motion score index was higher (2.5 vs 2.0, p<0.005) and microvascular damage larger (2.3 vs 1.8, p<0.005) in patients with persistent ST-segment elevation. At 6 months' follow-up, LV volumes were similar in the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS:
After primary PCI, persistent ST-segment elevation is associated with LV aneurysm formation in 30% of cases, it is not associated with significantly larger LV dilatation but with larger microvascular damage and dysfunctioning risk area
Ribosomal cold-adaptation: Characterization of the genes encoding the acidic ribosomal P0 and P2 proteins from the Antarctic ciliate Euplotes focardii
No full textMolecular adaptation at low temperature requires specificities represented mainly by modifications in the gene sequence and consequently in the protein primary structure. To characterize the Molecular mechanisms responsible for ribosome cold-adaptation, we compared the ribosomal P0 and P2 genes from the Antarctic ciliate Euplotes focardii with homologous genes from mesophilic organisms, including the ciliates Tetrahymena thermophilia and non cold-adapted Euplotes species. This analysis revealed the presence of non synonymous mutations unique to E. fiocardii. In the P0 protein the mutations produced amino acid substitutions that increased the molecular flexibility that may facilitate a conformational adjustment associated with the interaction with the GTPase center of the large subunit rRNA, and increased the hydrophobicity of the region involved in the interaction with P1/P2 heterodimer, probably to keep associated the ribosomal stalk in the cold. In the P2 protein the mutations produced amino acid substitutions that increased the N-terminus flexibility, which may facilitate interactions with PI protein in the formation of the heterodimer, and reduced the mobility of the C-terminus, to stabilize the stalk during ribosomal activity. Finally, P proteins appeared to be valid markers for investigating the phylogenetic origin of early eukaryotes
Influence of gender on th Extent of myocardial viability afetr Primary Coronary Angioplasty
No full text
Influence of Gender on the Extent of Myocardial Viability after Primary Coronary Angioplasty
No full textFunctional and Structural Correlates of Persistent ST Elevation After Acute Myocardial Infarction Successfully Treated by PCI
No full textBackground: In the thrombolytic era, persistence of ST-segment elevation was considered a marker of left ventricular (LV) aneurysm. ST-segment elevation may still be found persistently raised after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Echocardiographic correlates of this finding, however, are still poorly known.
Methods and results: 82 consecutive patients with first ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and successful PCI were divided into patients with persistent ST-segment elevation at discharge (sum of ST.4 mm) (n = 33) and those without persistent ST-segment elevation (n = 49). Conventional and myocardial contrast echocardiography were performed at discharge and at 6 months. At discharge, LV aneurysm was more common in patients with persistent ST elevation (27% vs 8%, p, 0.005). Similarly, the wall motion score index was higher (2.5 vs 2.0, p, 0.005) and microvascular damage larger (2.3 vs 1.8, p, 0.005) in patients with persistent ST-segment elevation. At 6 months' follow-up, LV volumes were similar in the two groups.
Conclusions: After primary PCI, persistent ST-segment elevation is associated with LV aneurysm formation in 30% of cases, it is not associated with significantly larger LV dilatation but with larger microvascular damage and dysfunctioning risk area
The protozoan ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila as biosensor of sublethal levels of toxicants in the soil
No full textThis report describes the use of recombinant cell lines of the eukaryotic microorganism Tetrahymena thermophila as whole cell biosensors (WCB) of sublethal levels of environmental toxicity. In order to obtain the WBSs, cells of T. thermophila, a worldwide distributed, freshwater, protozoan ciliate were transfected with the expression vector pD5H8, containing the coding sequence of the reporter gene for the “Green Fluorescent Protein” (GFP), under the control of a homologous, stress inducible hsp70 promoter. By this method, a fluorescent reporter cell line that is able to detect general toxicity was obtained. The toxicity assay using the recombinant Tetrahymena cells is simply per-formed by exposing them to various dilutions of environmentally relevant pure compounds or more complex environmental (field) samples (effluent discharges, soil elutri-ates etc.) and measuring the resulting fluorescent emission by means of fluorescence microscopy. Thus, in this assay the GFP fluorescence emission represents the toxicity end-point. In this study, the Tetrahymena biosensors were used in the frame of the BIO-BIO project (sponsored from the “Provincia di Pavia”) in order to assess the potential toxic-ity of soil elutriates coming from three farms managed using different agricultural systems (conventional and organic). In parallel with the Tetrahymena bioreporter assay, classic lethality assays were also performed. The obtained results clearly showed a better performance of the bioreporter assay over the classical lethality in unveiling sublethal levels of environmental toxicity
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