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A 50-year-old male patient with dilated cardiomyopathy was evaluated for cardiac resynchronization therapy. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a mass in close proximity to the coronary sinus ostium.The mass was considered to be a thrombus and found to have disappeared at the repeat echocardiogram performed following a month of anticoagulation therapy with warfarin. In this case report, we aim to emphasize the importance of coronary sinus imaging, especially during echocardiographic evaluation for cardiac asynchrony., (© 2012, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The sea urchin, Diadema setosum, is a poisonous species that originates in the Indo‐Pacific and the Red Sea. Although this species has been recorded in several areas in the Mediterranean Sea, its habitat selection, density, distribution and ecological impacts have not been comprehensively documented to date. This study combined the diving observations (n = 53 sites) and local ecological knowledge (LEK) of SCUBA divers (n = 100) to provide information on the distribution and density of this invasive sea urchin on the Aegean and Levantine coasts of Turkey between September and October 2020. The results indicated that D. setosum was more prevalent along the southern coast of Turkey compared with the western coast, where it is colder. The highest densities of D. setosum were observed in rocky habitats at a depth range of 0–5 m. Moreover, the densities increased with increasing bottom temperatures (up to 150 ind./100 m2). Recent reports from the Levantine and south Aegean coasts highlighted that the densities of D. setosum increased dramatically during the past year. The results of the present study suggested that D. setosum provides shelter for a total of four fish species, including Chromis chromis, Gobius sp., Cheilodipterus novemstriatus and Thalassoma pavo. This species of urchin poses a threat due to its potential grazing and bioerosion effects in the Mediterranean. Thus, future studies should focus on the feeding ecology of D. setosum and the competition with native species that share the same habitat to obtain an improved understanding of the ecological impacts of this invasive species. Although the present study provides the first comprehensive dataset on the density and distribution of this invasive sea urchin for Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean region, we suggest that its population should be monitored for long periods using direct observations, LEK and citizen science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial orientation is achieved by integrating visual, vestibular and proprioceptive cues. Individuals that rely strongly upon visual cues to facilitate spatial orientation are termed visually dependent. Heightened visual reliance commonly occurs in patients following vestibular dysfunction and can influence clinical outcome. Additionally, psychological factors, including anxiety, are associated with poorer clinical outcome following vestibular dysfunction. Given that visual dependency measures are affected by psychological and contextual influences, such as time pressure, we investigated the interaction between time pressure and anxiety upon visual dependency in healthy controls and vestibular migraine patients. Visual dependency was assessed using a "Rod and Disk" task at baseline and under time pressure (3 s to complete the task). Non‐situational (trait) and situational (state) anxiety levels were quantified using the Spielberg State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory. We calculated the change in visual dependency (VD) [∆VD = VDtime pressure − VDbaseline] and correlated it with participants' trait anxiety scores. We observed a significant negative correlation between trait anxiety and the change in VD (R2 =.393, p <.001) in healthy controls and a positive correlation in dizzy patients (R2 =.317, p <.001). That is, healthy individuals that were more anxious became less visually dependent under time pressure (i.e., more accurate), whereas less anxious individuals became more visually dependent. The reverse was observed in vestibular migraine patients. Our results illustrate that anxiety can differentially modulate task performance during spatial orientation judgements under time pressure in healthy individuals and dizzy patients. These findings have potential implications for individualised patient rehabilitation therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Increased intimal thickness in coronary arteries, extensive calcification, and atheromatous plaque that does not cause luminal irregularities in a significant portion of the patients with coronary slow flow (CSF). Arterial stiffness is an indicator for atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the relation between coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) and arterial stiffness. Method: Total of 73 patients were included in the study, and a control group was formed with 64 individuals. Aortic stiffness index β (ASIβ) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were used as the determinant of arterial stiffness in all analyses. Result: Pulse wave velocity values were significantly higher in the coronary slow flow group than the control group (P <.001). PWV, aortic stiffness index β (ASIβ) values were found to be significantly higher in the CSF group. ASIβ value was 3.4 ± 1.0 in CSF patients and 2.2 ± 0.6 in the control group (P <.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that PWV predicted coronary slow flow with 97% sensitivity and 90% specificity for 7.15 cutoff value. And aortic stiffness index was found to predict coronary slow flow with 83% sensitivity and 75% specificity for 2.63 cutoff value. Conclusion: Our findings prove that coronary slow flow phenomenon should be considered a subgroup of coronary artery diseases and that increased PWV is an indicator of CSFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: Pyrin protein is the product of the MEFV gene, mutations in which cause manifestation of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Functions of pyrin are not completely clear. The secondary structure of the pyrin is represented with four domains and two motifs. Mutations p.M680I, p.M694V, p.M694I, p.K695R, p.V726A, and p.A744S, which are located in the B30.2 domain of pyrin protein, are responsible for manifestation of the most common and severe forms of FMF. All the domains and the motifs of pyrin, are directly or indirectly, involved in the protein–protein interaction with proteins of apoptosis and regulate the cascade of inflammatory reactions, which is impaired due to pyrin mutations. It is well known, that malfunction of the pyrin‐caspase‐1 complex is the main reason of inflammation during FMF. Complete tertiary structure of pyrin and the effects of mutations in it are experimentally not studied yet. The aim of this study was to identify possible effects of the abovementioned mutations in the B30.2 domain tertiary structure and to determine their potential consequences in formation of the B30.2‐caspase‐1 complex. Using in silico methods, it was found, that these mutations led to structural rearrangements in B30.2 domain tertiary structure, causing shifts of binding sites and altering the interaction energy between B30.2 and caspase‐1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T helper type 17 (Th17) and regulatory T (Treg) cells are active players in the establishment of tolerance and defence. These attributes of the immune system enmesh to guarantee the right level of protection. The healthy immune system, on the one hand, recognizes and eliminates dangerous non-self pathogens and, on the other hand, protects the healthy self. However, there are circumstances where this fine balance is disrupted. In fact, in situations such as in pregnancy, the foreign fetal antigens challenge the maternal immune system and Treg cells will dominate Th17 cells to guarantee fetal survival. In other situations such as autoimmunity, where the Th17 responses are often overwhelming, the immune system shifts towards an inflammatory profile and attacks the healthy tissue from the self. Interestingly, autoimmune patients have meliorating symptoms during pregnancy. This connects with the antagonist role of Th17 and Treg cells, and their specific profiles during these two immune challenging situations. In this review, we put into perspective the Th17/Treg ratio during pregnancy and autoimmunity, as well as in pregnant women with autoimmune conditions. We further review existing systems biology approaches that study specific mechanisms of these immune cells using mathematical modelling and we point out possible future directions of investigation. Understanding what maintains or disrupts the balance between these two opponent yet reciprocal cells in healthy physiological settings, sheds light into the development of innovative pharmacological approaches to fight pregnancy loss and autoimmunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on medical topics including prediction on functional outcome of epileptics, factors associated with response in patients randomized to placebo in adjunct therapy and risk of mortality in epilepsy after neonatal seizure.

The article lists several author of the periodical including Abou-Khalil R, Bernhard M and Campos BM.

Based on the nutrient requirement of Trichogaster trichopterus, a fish meal-based basal diet with 350 g/kg diet crude protein and 16.7 MJ/kg energy was formulated, in which the fish meal protein was replaced by surimi by-product protein at 0.0 (control), 12.5, 25, 50, 75 and 100% levels. The formulated diets were fed ad libitum to T. trichopterus fingerlings (4.80 ± 0.03 g) in triplicate groups for 45 days in a closed water system. Eighteen fibre-reinforced plastic tanks with 200 l of water were used for rearing the fish. Weight gain, specific growth rate, feed/gain ratio, protein efficiency ratio, nutrient retention and digestibility (protein and energy) of fish were not affected (p > 0.05) up to 50% fish meal protein replacement level by surimi by-product protein. While whole-body protein content of fish was marginally decreased, the lipid content was increased with increase in surumi by-product incorporation level in the diet. The study results suggest that the fish meal protein, which is scarce and costly nowadays, could be replaced up to 50% by surimi by-product protein in the diet of blue gourami without hampering the growth and nutrient utilization of fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]