Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy

Fa-Po Chung,Chin-Yu Lin,Yenn-Jiang Lin,Shih-Lin Chang,Li-Wei Lo,Yu-Feng Hu,Ta-Chuan Tuan,Tze-Fan Chao,Jo-Nan Liao,Ting-Yung Chang,Shih-Ann Chen 대한심장학회 2018 Korean Circulation Journal Vol.48 No.10

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) is predominantly an inherited cardiomyopathy with typical histopathological characteristics of fibro-fatty infiltration mainly involving the right ventricular (RV) inflow tract, RV outflow tract, and RV apex in the majority of patients. The above pathologic evolution frequently brings patients with ARVD/C to medical attention owing to the manifestation of syncope, sudden cardiac death (SCD), ventricular arrhythmogenesis, or heart failure. To prevent future or recurrent SCD, an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) is highly desirable in patients with ARVD/C who had experienced unexplained syncope, hemodynamically intolerable ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation, and/or aborted SCD. Notably, the management of frequent ventricular tachyarrhythmias in ARVD/C is challenging, and the use of antiarrhythmic drugs could be unsatisfactory or limited by the unfavorable side effects. Therefore, radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) has been implemented to treat the drug-refractory VT in ARVD/C for decades. However, the initial understanding of the link between fibro-fatty pathogenesis and ventricular arrhythmogenesis in ARVD/C is scarce, the efficacy and prognosis of endocardial RFCA alone were limited and disappointing. The electrophysiologists had broken through this frontier after better illustration of epicardial substrates and broadly application of epicardial approaches in ARVD/C. In recent works of literature, the application of epicardial ablation also successfully results in higher procedural success and decreases VT recurrences in patients with ARVD/C who are refractory to the endocardial approach during long-term follow-up. In this article, we review the important evolution on the delineation of arrhythmogenic substrates, ablation strategies, and ablation outcome of VT in patients with ARVD/C.

The accuracy and clinical applicability of a sensor based electromagnetic nonfluoroscopic catheter tracking system

Shinya Yamada,Li-Wei Lo,Yenn-Jiang Lin,Shih-Lin Chang,Fa-Po Chung,Yu-Feng Hu,Ta-Chuan Tuan,Tze-Fan Chao,Jo-Nan Liao,Chin-Yu Lin,Shih-Ann Chen 대한심장학회 2019 Korean Circulation Journal Vol.49 No.1

Background and Objectives: The differences between electromagnetic-based mapping (EM) and impedance-based mapping (IM) in 3D anatomical reconstruction have not been fully clarified. We aimed to investigate the anatomical accuracy between EM (MediGuide™) and IM (EnSite Velocity™) systems. Methods: We investigated 15 consecutive patients (10 males, mean age 58±9 years) who underwent pulmonary veins (PVs) isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) image of the left atrium (LA) was acquired before ablation and the 3D geometry of the LA was constructed using EM during ablation procedure. We measured the 4 PV angles between the main trunk of each PV and the posterior LA after field scaling. Additionally, the posterior LA surface area was measured. The variables were compared to those of CT-based geometry. A control group of 40 patients who underwent conventional PVs isolation using IM were also evaluated. Results: The actual and relative changes of EM and CT-based geometry in all PV angles and posterior LA were significantly smaller compared to those of IM and CT-based geometry. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between EM and CT-based geometry were 0.871 (right superior pulmonary vein [RSPV]), 0.887 (right inferior pulmonary vein [RIPV]), 0.853 (left superior pulmonary vein [LSPV]), 0.911 (left inferior pulmonary vein [LIPV]), and 0.833 (posterior LA). On the other hand, ICC between IM and CT-based geometry were 0.548 (RSPV), 0.639 (RIPV), 0.691 (LSPV), 0.706 (LIPV), and 0.568 (posterior LA). Conclusions: Image integration with EM enables high accurate visualization of cardiac anatomy compared to IM in PAF ablation.

Promoted Growth of Maize by the Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria Isolated from North-east China

Hai-Yan Wu,Li-Chun Wang,Xing-Ai Gao,Rong-De Jin,Zuo-Wei Fan,Kil-Yong Kim,Lan-Po Zhao 한국토양비료학회 2011 한국토양비료학회지 Vol.44 No.1

A strain of phosphate solubilizing bacterium was isolated from rhizosphere and identified as Burkholderia sp. by 16S-rRNA gene sequence analyses. The bacterium was found to release gluconic acid and the solubilization of hydroxyapatite in the liquid medium by a significant drop in pH to 3.7 from an initial pH 7.0. The soluble-P concentration continuously increased during the incubation periods and the total amount of soluble P released in culture filtrate was detected at 990 mg L<SUP>-1</SUP> after 10 days of inoculation. Most promoted maize growth was found in the standard NPK (240-120-120 kg ha<SUP>-1</SUP>) soil inoculation with Burkholderia sp. (Twenty milliliters/ plant, 106 CFU) and also in the absence of Burkholderia sp. inoculation, the soil amended with only 2/3 levels of P gave significant higher plant yield compared to 1/3 levels of P or without P supplementation.

Promoted Growth of Maize by the Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria Isolated from North-east China

Wu, Hai-Yan,Wang, Li-Chun,Gao, Xing-Ai,Jin, Rong-De,Fan, Zuo-Wei,Kim, Kil-Yong,Zhao, Lan-Po Korean Society of Soil Science and Fertilizer 2011 한국토양비료학회지 Vol.44 No.1

A strain of phosphate solubilizing bacterium was isolated from rhizosphere and identified as Burkholderia sp. by 16S-rRNA gene sequence analyses. The bacterium was found to release gluconic acid and the solubilization of hydroxyapatite in the liquid medium by a significant drop in pH to 3.7 from an initial pH 7.0. The soluble-P concentration continuously increased during the incubation periods and the total amount of soluble P released in culture filtrate was detected at 990 mg $L^{-1}$ after 10 days of inoculation. Most promoted maize growth was found in the standard NPK (240-120-120 kg $ha^{-1}$) soil inoculation with Burkholderia sp. (Twenty milliliters/plant, 106 CFU) and also in the absence of Burkholderia sp. inoculation, the soil amended with only 2/3 levels of P gave significant higher plant yield compared to 1/3 levels of P or without P supplementation.

Fabrication and applications of ultraflexible nanostructures using dielectric heating-assisted nanoimprint on PVC films

Tsung-Yeh Wu,Po-Cheng Tsai,Shu-Cheng Lo,Yi-Ru Li,Kuang-Li Lee,Sen-Yeu Yang,Pei-Kuen Wei 한국물리학회 2018 Current Applied Physics Vol.18 No.1

We developed dielectric heating-assisted nanoimprint method for rapid fabrication of ultraflexible nanostructures. Using spin-coating polyvinyl-chloride (PVC) film on the glass slide, the dielectric heating on PVC film helped the pattern transfer from the mold to PVC film in few seconds. Various kinds of nanostructures were successfully made on PVC films with about 20-mm thickness. We demonstrated the applications of ultraflexible metallic nanostructures for bending measurement using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on the curved surfaces. For measuring bending angles using SPR on capped nanowire arrays, the minimum detection angle was 2.4 103 degree under 0.02 nm wavelength resolution. For SERS measurement, the nanorod arrays on a curved substrate can increase SERS signals for two times as compared to planar SERS substrate.

Valsartan regulates TGF-b/Smads and TGF-b/p38 pathways through lncRNA CHRF to improve doxorubicin-induced heart failure

Lei Chen,Kui-Po Yan,Xin-Can Liu,Wei Wang,Chao Li,Ming Li,Chun-Guang Qiu 대한약학회 2018 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.41 No.1

This study investigated the interaction amongvalsartan (VAL), TGF-b pathways, and long non-codingRNA (lncRNA) cardiac hypertrophy-related factor (CHRF)in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced heart failure (HF), andexplored their roles in DOX-induced HF progression. HFmice models in vivo were constructed by DOX induction. The expression of CHRF and TGF-b1 in hearts wasdetected, along with cardiac function, caspase-3 activity,and cell apoptosis. Primary myocardial cells were pretreatedwith VAL, followed by DOX induction in vitro forfunctional studies, including the detection of cell apoptosiswith terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-endlabeling and the expression of proteins associated withTGF-b1 pathways. HF models were established in vivo andin vitro. Expression of CHRF and TGF-b1 was up-regulated,and cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activity wereincreased in the hearts and cells of the HF models. VALsupplementation alleviated the cardiac dysfunction andinjury in the HF process. Moreover, overexpressed CHRFup-regulated TGF-b1, promoted myocardial cell apoptosis,and reversed VAL’s cardiac protective effect, while interferenceof CHRF (si-CHRF) did the opposite. Down-regulationof CHRF reversed the increased expression of TGFb1and the downstream proteins induced by pcDNA-TGFb1in HL-1 cells, while overexpression of CHRF reversedthe VAL’s cardiac protective effect in vivo. In conclusion,VAL regulates TGF-b pathways through lncRNA CHRF toimprove DOX-induced HF.

Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor-α Subunit Targeting Suppresses Metastasis in Advanced Thyroid Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo

( Ching-ling Lin ),( Ming-lin Tsai ),( Yu-hsin Chen ),( Wei-ni Liu ),( Chun-yu Lin ),( Kai-wen Hsu ),( Chien-yu Huang ),( Yu-jia Chang ),( Po-li Wei ),( Shu-huey Chen ),( Li-chi Huang ),( Chia-hwa Lee 한국응용약물학회 2021 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.29 No.5

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancers, such as papillary and follicular cancers, have a favorable prognosis. However, poorly differentiated thyroid cancers, such as medullary, squamous and anaplastic advanced thyroid cancers, are very aggressive and insensitive to radioiodine treatment. Thus, novel therapies that attenuate metastasis are urgently needed. We found that both PDGFC and PDGFRA are predominantly expressed in thyroid cancers and that the survival rate is significantly lower in patients with high PDGFRA expression. This finding indicates the important role of PDGF/PDGFR signaling in thyroid cancer development. Next, we established a SW579 squamous thyroid cancer cell line with 95.6% PDGFRA gene insertion and deletions (indels) through CRISPR/Cas9. Protein and invasion analysis showed a dramatic loss in EMT marker expression and metastatic ability. Furthermore, xenograft tumors derived from PDGFRA geneedited SW579 cells exhibited a minor decrease in tumor growth. However, distant lung metastasis was completely abolished upon PDGFRA gene editing, implying that PDGFRA could be an effective target to inhibit distant metastasis in advanced thyroid cancers. To translate this finding to the clinic, we used the most relevant multikinase inhibitor, imatinib, to inhibit PDGFRA signaling. The results showed that imatinib significantly suppressed cell growth, induced cell cycle arrest and cell death in SW579 cells. Our developed noninvasive apoptosis detection sensor (NIADS) indicated that imatinib induced cell apoptosis through caspase-3 activation. In conclusion, we believe that developing a specific and selective targeted therapy for PDGFRA would effectively suppress PDGFRA-mediated cancer aggressiveness in advanced thyroid cancers.

Rosmarinus officinalis Extract Suppresses Propionibacterium acnes–Induced Inflammatory Responses

Tsung-Hsien Tsai,Lu-Te Chuang,Tsung-Jung Lien,Yau-Rong Liing,Wei-Yu Chen,Po-Jung Tsai 한국식품영양과학회 2013 Journal of medicinal food Vol.16 No.4

Propionibacterium acnes is a key pathogen involved in the progression of acne inflammation. The development of a new agent possessing antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity against P. acnes is therefore of interest. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) extract on P. acnes–induced inflammation in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that ethanolic rosemary extract (ERE) significantly suppressed the secretion and mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α in P. acnes–stimulated monocytic THP-1 cells. In an in vivo mouse model, concomitant intradermal injection of ERE attenuated the P. acnes–induced ear swelling and granulomatous inflammation. Since ERE suppressed the P. acnes–induced nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) activation and mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, the suppressive effect of ERE might be due, at least partially, to diminished NF-κB activation and TLR2-mediated signaling pathways. Furthermore, three major constituents of ERE, carnosol, carnosic acid, and rosmarinic acid, exerted different immumodulatory activities in vitro. In brief, rosmarinic acid significantly suppressed IL-8 production, while the other two compounds inhibited IL-1β production. Further study is needed to explore the role of bioactive compounds of rosemary in mitigation of P. acnes–induced inflammation.