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Background. Over the past few years, scientific data have demonstrated that patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease can have high risk for adverse cardiovascular events (ACE) despite the absence of severe coronary obstruction. From this point of view, some patients require special monitoring and treatment; we have to find new methods for stratification of the risk of ACE. Aims to study the association of coronary artery calcification (CCA) with indicators of myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) in patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods. The study included patients (n = 52) with non-obstructive CAD ( 50%), identified by CCTA. All patients received dynamic myocardial SPECT according to the two-day rest-stress protocol with the radiopharmaceutical agent 99mTc-methoxy-isobutyl-isotnitrile and the pharmacological stress-test (adenosine triphosphate 160 mcg/kg/min) to determine quantitative indicators of MBF and MFR. Depending on the calcium index (CI), three groups of patients were formed: 1 without CCA (CI = 0 Agatston units), 19 patients; 2 Mild CCA (CI = 1100 Agatston units), 21 patients; 3 Moderate CCA (CI = 101400 Agatston units), 12 patients. Results. The study included 52 patients (age 55.0 9.8 years, 36 men). The groups differed statistically significantly (p 0.05) in terms of quantitative scintigraphic parameters: stress-MBF, MFR and MBF. When analyzing the groups in pairs, it was found that stress-MBF and MBF were significantly lower in the group with moderate CCA compared to the group without CCA, and MFR was lower in the group with moderate CCA compared to the groups without CCA and with mild CCA. Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between CI and scintigraphic parameters: stress-MBF ( = 0.46; p = 0.003), MFR ( = 0.48; p = 0.001), MBF ( = 0.48; p = 0.0008), SSS ( = 0.34; p = 0.02) and SDS ( = 0.28; p = 0.046). Conclusions. Even with non-obstructive CAD, identified by CCTA, there is a decrease in MBF and MFR inversely proportional to the level of CI, which can be considered as an early marker of impaired vasodilation reserve of the vascular wall, which develops in atherosclerosis of the coronary artery.

Background. Worldwide, research continues into various factors that may influence the success of catheter treatment of atrial fibrillation. In this regard, the influence of the state of the sympathoadrenal system of the body has not been studied enough. Aims to evaluate the effectiveness of interventional treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with and without myocarditis, depending on the level of beta-adrenergic responsiveness of the organism. Materials and methods. The study sample included 40 patients. Of these, 27 (67.5%) are men. The age in the sample was 49 (44; 55) years. The study included 25 (62.5%) patients with paroxysmal AF, 10 (25.0%) with persistent and 5 (12.5%) with long-term persistent. All patients underwent surgical treatment of AF using radiofrequency (RFA) or cryoablation (CBA). Endomyocardial biopsy was performed in 18 patients to verify the diagnosis. Beta-adrenergic responsiveness (beta-ARM) was assessed in dynamics 3 days after surgery, 3 months and 12 months. The follow-up period for patients was 12 months. Results. All patients underwent surgical treatment of AF, in 7 cases (17.5%) CBA of the pulmonary veins was performed, in 33 (82.5%) cases RFA was performed. According to the biopsy results, signs of myocarditis were detected in 9 patients (22.5%). Focal myocarditis was found in 7 patients, diffuse in 2. The effectiveness of catheter treatment in general was 72.5%, for CBA 71.5%, for RFA 73.5%. Beta-ARM before ablation was 19.16% [12.46; 27.46], 3 days after ablation 24.43% [15.38; 33.65], after 3 months was 20.27% [9.90; 27.71], in 4 patients after 12 months, beta-ARM was 32.5% [20.0; 43.2]. The dynamics and influence of beta-ARM on the effectiveness of interventional treatment of AF in patients with early and late relapses, the presence of myocarditis was assessed. Conclusions. The results obtained showed no effect of the level of beta-ARM on the effectiveness of RFA and CBA in patients with and without myocarditis. Beta-ARM showed no association with the development of early arrhythmia recurrences after ablation. No statistically significant differences were found when comparing beta-ARM levels in patients with and without diagnosed myocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Transurethral incision of the bladder neck is one of the main methods of correction of bladder neck stenosis that occurred after treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. This technique involves endoscopic dissection in the area of the stenosed area without removing scar tissue. Taking into account the emergence of new reconstructive methods of surgical intervention in patients with recurrent bladder neck stenosis the expediency of using transurethral incision of the bladder neck in recurrent cases remains a subject of discussion. AIM: The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of transurethral incision of the bladder neck in patients with recurrent bladder neck stenosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 30 patients with a diagnosis of recurrent bladder neck stenosis who were treated in the period from 2012 to 2022. in Clinical Hospital of St. Luke and was performed transurethral incision of the bladder neck using bipolar electrosurgical energy. The diagnosis of bladder neck stenosis was established on the basis of complaints, anamnesis, uroflowmetry with determination of the volume of residual urine, ureteroscopy, retrograde urethrography. Recurrence was recorded when the maximum urination rate below 12 ml/s, there was an episode of acute urinary retention, or the need for additional surgical intervention for bladder outlet obstruction. RESULTS: All 30 patients underwent transurethral incision of the bladder neck using bipolar electrosurgical energy. The average duration of surgery was 22.9 minutes. The degree of postoperative complications did not exceed grade II according to the Clavien scale. The frequency of de novo stress urinary incontinence was detected only in one patient, which resolved spontaneously within 6 weeks. The maximum urination rate after 3 months was 14.73 3.61 ml/s, while after 6 months there was a significant decrease to 10.91 6.92 ml/s, and after 12 months to 9.4 7, 65 ml/s. The absence of recurrence in patients after TUI BN during the observation period was noted in 17 (56.67%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Transurethral incision of the bladder neck using a bipolar electrode is a safe method for correcting bladder neck stenosis, but in recurrent cases it has limited efficacy. In this regard, in patients with a large number of endoscopic interventions in history, other methods of bladder neck reconstruction should be chosen.

BACKGROUND: Renal cell cancer is accompanied by the development of a disorder of renal function. The parameters of homeostasis after nephrectomy in renal cell cancer are not well understood. AIM: The aim of the study is to compare the kidney functional status and parameters of homeostasis in patients with RCC after nephrectomy performed by open and laparoscopic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients with renal cell cancer Т3N0M0 were randomized according to the surgery into the comparison group with open nephrectomy (n = 40; 50,1 3,4 years old; 18 males, 22 females) and the main group with laparoscopic nephrectomy (n = 40; 52,4 5,1 years old; 16 males, 24 females). The control group was comprises from twenty subjects without urological pathology, 2258 years old, 10 males, 10 females. Laboratory parameters of endotoxicosis, lipid peroxidation, kidney functional status, partial kidney functions, and urinary syndrome were assessed on the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 10th days after the surgery. RESULTS: The early postoperative period of nephrectomy in renal cell cancer is accompanied by the development of endotoxicosis, activation of lipid peroxidation, deterioration of the functional state of the remaining kidney, and the formation of chronic kidney disease. At the same time, both systemic indicators (toxicity index, as well as concentrations of medium-weight molecules, diene conjugates, malondialdehyde), and renal parameters (glomerular filtration rate, albumin-creatinine ratio) are associated with the method of surgery: with a laparoscopic approach, changes in these indicators are reversible and less pronounced than with open nephrectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates the advantage of laparoscopic nephrectomy compared to open nephrectomy in patients with renal cell cancer.

The study of the operation of power stations existing on ships shows the need to ensure reliable parallel operation of diesel generators (DGs). It is known that the main reason for the unstable parallel operation of the DG is a small or different droop of the mechanical characteristics of the drive motors. A study of the parallel operation of diesel generator sets at a ship power plant, consisting of four generators with electronic speed controllers that provide the necessary droop, also showed its instability. The measurements and consideration of physical processes revealed an uneven distribution of reactive power due to differences in the external characteristics of the generators. The elimination of instability is possible only by introducing additional devices and fine-tuning the regulators to obtain the external characteristics of generators with the similar droop. The trouble-free operation of the proposed system was confirmed by long-term tests during the operation of the ship in normal mode during navigation.

There are numerous studies which show that an early school start time has a negative impact on the sleep, well-being, and academic performance of students. There is not enough information on the association between school start time and eating disorders, however: the disruption of the circadian rhythm is known to be a risk factor for eating disorders. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between school start time (SST) and the sleep, well-being, academic performance, and eating behavior of children and adolescents. The study was conducted in April and May 2021 in two regions of Russia: the Komi Republic and Yekaterinburg. The online study involved the anonymous and voluntary participation of 6571 students in grades 6-11 (mean age: 14.5 ± 1.6 years, 60.1% female), who have morning classes. All participants were divided into three groups according to SST: 08:00 (in/i= 3661), 08:30 (in/i= 2020), and 09:00 (in/i= 890). Each participant of the study indicated their place of residence, SST, age, sex, height, weight, academic performance, and filled out the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, and the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children. As a result of multiple regression analysis, it was shown that schoolchildren with SST of 09:00 wake up at a later time on school days (iB/i= 0.432;iΔRsup2/sup /i= 0.039), sleep more (iB/i= 0.293;iΔRsup2/sup /i= 0.004), have less pronounced social jetlag (iB/i= -0.223;iΔRsup2/sup /i= 0.005) and sleep loss (iB/i= -0.292;iΔRsup2/sup /i= 0.005), and higher academic performance (iB/i= 0.113;iΔRsup2/sup /i= 0.003) than schoolchildren with SST of 08:00. As a result of logistic regression analysis, it was found that the frequency of the detection of food addiction is ~30% lower in schoolchildren with SST of 09:00 (OR = 0.690; 95% CI = 0.485-0.981) than in their peers with SST of 08:00. Thus, an overly early SST in Russia has a negative impact on the sleep function, academic performance, and eating behavior of children and adolescents.

Over the past 60 years, scientists have strived to understand the past, present and future of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. One of the key components of this research has been the mapping of Antarctic bed topography and ice thickness parameters that are crucial for modelling ice flow and hence for predicting future ice loss and ensuing sea level rise. Supported by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), the Bedmap3 Action Group aims not only to produce new gridded maps of ice thickness and bed topography for the international scientific community, but also to standardize and make available all the geophysical survey data points used in producing the Bedmap gridded products. Here, we document the survey data used in the latest iteration, Bedmap3, incorporating and adding to all of the datasets previously used for Bedmap1 and Bedmap2, including ice-bed, surface and thickness point data from all Antarctic geophysical campaigns since the 1950s. More specifically, we describe the processes used to standardize and make these and future survey and gridded datasets accessible under the ‘Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable’ (FAIR) data principles. With the goals to make the gridding process reproducible and to allow scientists to re-use the data freely for their own analysis, we introduce the new SCAR Bedmap Data Portal (bedmap.scar.org, last access: 18 October 2022) created to provide unprecedented open access to these important datasets, through a user-friendly webmap interface. We believe that this data release will be a valuable asset to Antarctic research and will greatly extend the life cycle of the data held within it. Data are available from the UK Polar Data Centre: https://data.bas.ac.uk.

Urothelial carcinoma is one of the most common solid malignancies. Moreover, urothelial cancer of the ureter of a single kidney is a rare entity that requires nephron-sparing treatment and carries a high risk of postoperative recurrence. An analysis of the literature on this disease was conducted using the databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for the period from 2011 to 2022. A clinical case of recurrence of urothelial cancer of the pyelocaliceal system of the kidney in a 73-year-old patient was presented. For the primary tumor, the patient underwent percutaneous laser en bloc resection on the narrow base of the tumor. In case of recurrence, given the acute angle of attack and the wide tumor base, bipolar loop resection became necessary. This clinical observation demonstrates the need for logistical equipment with laser, mono- and bipolar energy sources, and flexible nephroscopes for the most effective and personalized treatment.

In patients with high risk of ventricular tachycardia (VT) the proven beneficial therapy is the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). It has been shown that the coronary artery disease (CAD) and VT development are accompanied by a persistent change of the sympathoadrenal system activity. This leads to a decrease in the total density of the erythrocyte membrane β-adrenergic receptors. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship of the erythrocyte membranes β-adrenoreactivity (EMA) with VT development in patients with CAD and ICD.Sixty-three patients (male - 53, age - 66.6 ± 9.2 years) with CAD and ICD were included to the study. EMA was studied using a method for assessing erythrocyte osmoresistance increase as a result of β-adrenergic receptors blockade by a selective β-adrenergic blocker. VT and ventricular fibrillation (VF) events recorded by ICD were evaluated.The 1In patients with CAD and ICD erythrocyte membranes β-adrenoreactivity indicator 51.26% or lower is the predictor of VT episodes.

Purpose: The concept of time perspective (TP) implies that a mental focus on past, present, or future affect a person makes decisions and take action. Inability to plan their life for a sufficiently long time perspective due to the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to have a pronounced impact on a human’s lifestyle influencing their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, including eating behavior. This study tested two hypotheses: (a) that during COVID-19 isolation, the incidence rate of food addiction is increased, and (b) people with present TP are more likely exhibited signs of food addiction (FA). Methods: The final study sample included 949 people, mean age 21.8 ± 7.8 years (range: 17–71 years, women: 78.3%). Each participant indicated their personal data and completed Yale Food Addiction Scale and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory. Results: There was an increased incidence rate of FA (OR = 1.678, 95% CI = 1.324, 2.148, p = 0.000) during COVID-19 isolation. Individuals with balanced, future, and past positive TP were less likely to exhibit symptoms of FA. Persons with past negative, and present hedonistic TP were more likely to exhibit signs of FA. Conclusion: There was an increased incidence rate of FA during COVID-19 isolation. Persons with shortened time horizon are more likely to exhibit symptoms of FA. Level of evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the inflammatory changes in the myocardium, based on endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) data in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for idiopathic atrial fibrillation (AF). A total of 67 patients with idiopathic AF were enrolled in the study. Patients underwent the intracardiac examination, RFA of AF, and EMB with histological and immunohistochemical studies. The catheter-treatment effectiveness, and occurrence of early and late recurrences of atrial tachyarrhythmias, were assessed depending on the identified histological changes. Nine patients (13.4%) did not have any histological changes in the myocardium according to EMB. Fibrotic changes were detected in 26 cases (38.8%). Inflammatory changes according to the Dallas criteria were observed in 32 patients (47.8%). The follow-up period for patients averaged 19.3 ± 3.7 months. The effectiveness rates of primary RFA were 88.9% in patients with the intact myocardium, 46.2% in patients with fibrotic changes of varying severity, and 34.4% in patients with the presence of criteria for myocarditis. No early recurrence of arrhythmias was observed in patients with unchanged myocardia. The presence of inflammatory and fibrotic changes in the myocardium increased the rates of early and late arrhythmia recurrences and accordingly halved the effectiveness RFA of AF.

Aim. To study the efficacy and safety of anticoagulant therapy in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) after interventional treatment during 36 months of follow-up.Material and methods. The study included 135 patients (78 men and 58 women) in the age from 31 to 80 years (mean age 61.0 [55; 66]) with persistent AF who underwent catheter treatment. All patients were treated in the arrhythmia department of the Research Institute of Cardiology (Tomsk National Research Medical Center from 01.01.2017 to 31.12.2017.Results. In patients with persistent AF, the effectiveness of catheter treatment was 60% after 12 months of follow-up (81 patients had no documented AF during this period) and 63.7 % (n=86) - after 24 and 36 months. No fatal outcomes, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke were observed within 12 months after catheter treatment in patients with an effective procedure. During 36 months of follow-up, the incidence of ischemic stroke on the background of receiving anticoagulant therapy and effective catheter treatment of persistent AF was significantly lower than in patients with unsuccessful ablation (1.16% and 10%, respectively), even though not all patients from the first group received prescribed medication.Conclusion. Successful radiofrequency procedure/cryo-ablation of AF persistent form significantly reduced the risk of ischemic stroke from 10% to 1.16% and almost eliminated the likelihood of other thromboembolic complications, while the invasive strategy did not increase the risk of large and small bleeding in this group of patients.

This article presents the selected approaches of optical diagnostics applied to thermal arcs. Advanced methods for the determination of temperatures and species density distributions are described and examples of recent developments are presented, such as the consideration of optical depth in optical emission measurements, the use of broadband light sources for measurements of spatially resolved densities, or the combination of spectral analysis with high-speed video observation for the purpose of surface temperature determination. Finally, the potential of the presented diagnostics to solve future challenges of thermal arc research is demonstrated and discussed.

It has been documented that Ca2+ overload and increased production of reactive oxygen species play a significant role in reperfusion injury (RI) of cardiomyocytes. Ischemia/reperfusion induces cell death as a result of necrosis, necroptosis, apoptosis, and possibly autophagy, pyroptosis and ferroptosis. It has also been demonstrated that the NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in RI of the heart. An increase in adrenergic system activity during the restoration of coronary perfusion negatively affected cardiac resistance to RI. Toll-like receptors are involved in RI of the heart. Angiotensin II and endothelin-1 aggravated ischemic/reperfusion injury of the heart. Activation of neutrophils, monocytes, CD4+ T-cells and platelets contributes to cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury. Our review outlines the role of these factors in reperfusion cardiac injury.

The gut microbiota (GM) is currently considered as a pathogenic factor in a number of diseases. It is known that some gastrointestinal diseases cause a high risk of developing urolithiasis. The study gives modern data demonstrating the influence of the GM, in particular Oxalobacter formigenes, on the formation of oxalate kidney stones. The relationship between the presence of inflammatory bowel diseases and the use of antimicrobial drugs with oxalate homeostasis was demonstrated, methods for correcting the GM in patients with urolithiasis, including the use of probiotics and diet therapy, were analyzed. The studies presented in the article demonstrate that the correction of the GM can be considered as a therapeutic goal and be an actual component of the complex treatment and metaphylaxis of nephrolithiasis.

Previous studies show inconsistent results on the role of innervation imaging (with 123I-mIBG) in predicting late atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after catheter ablation (CA). These studies included patients with paroxysmal AF and studied prognostic value of post-CA I-123-mIBG parameters. Current study investigated the ability of pre CA 123-I-mIBG imaging to predict late AF recurrence in patients with persistent AF. 123I-mIBG cardiac imaging was performed before CA in 82 patients with persistent AF. Patient was followed for 12 months. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that late heart-to-mediastinum ratio (H/Mlate) and washout rate (WR) were independent predictors of AF recurrence. ROC-curve analysis data showed that H/Mlate 25.11 (sensitivity 70.6%, specificity 70.8.3%, AUC 0.712, P

Ischemic and reperfusion injuries of the heart underlie the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and sudden cardiac death. The mortality rate is still high and is 5-7% in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The review is devoted to pharmacological approaches to limitation of ischemic and reperfusion injuries of the heart. The article analyzes experimental evidence and the clinical data on the effects of P2Y

Food addiction (FA) is one of the causes of widespread obesity in modern society. It was shown that there is an age-associated increase in incidence rate of FA in adolescents/young adults. The purpose of this study was to analyze food preferences in schoolchildren and university students with FA. High school and university students (N = 1607; age: 17.8 ± 2.7 years; girls: 77.0%) located in four settlements of Russia anonymously took part in the study. Study participants provided personal data (age, sex, height, and weight) and completed the Yale Food Addiction Scale, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire. In addition, they indicated food products with which they had problems. The frequency of detection of FA among university students was twice as high as among schoolchildren. University students with FA were 20.2% more likely than schoolchildren to report the symptom ‘use continues despite knowledge of adverse consequences,’ and 13.7% more likely to report the symptom ‘tolerance.’ Schoolchildren and university students with FA most often noted that foods high in sugar and fat were problematic. University students with FA also reported that foods with a high carbohydrate content were problematic. In university students with FA, in comparison with schoolchildren with FA, there is an increase in list of problematic food products, mainly due to products with a high carbohydrate content. Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

Elucidating the causes of variability in food texture sensitivity is important for understanding the mechanisms underlying food choice and portion size, eating rates, and enjoyment of food. Since texture perception significantly affects eating behavior, it is assumed that ability to recognize food texture, in turn, may depend on eating behavior. The aim of the study was to elucidate the relationship between the ability to recognize the hardness of an agar-gelatin gel, on the one hand, and the nutritional value of the diet, the type of eating behavior and the level of hunger and satiety feelings, on the other hand. Material and methods. In 38 healthy residents of Syktyvkar (15 men, 23 women aged 21 to 31 years) food textural sensitivity was determined by pairwise comparison of the hardness of model agar-gelatin gels and the level of the feeling of stomach fullness at the time of testing. All participants completed a food diary, the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, the Yale Food Addiction Scale, and assessed the standard organoleptic and hedonic properties of commercial fruit jelly. Statistical processing of the data was performed using non-parametric statistics: the Mann-Whitney U-test, Fisher's exact test, and calculating the Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results. The ability to recognize the hardness of food gel was found to vary significantly among the participants. The percentage of correct answers given by participants with high food textural sensitivity (n=20) was equal to 92 and 82% when comparing agargelatin gels with hardness in the range of 40-300 and 800-1000 kPa, respectively. Participants with low food texture sensitivity (n=18) gave the correct answer in 74 and 31% of cases when tasting soft and hard gels, respectively. Participants with high and low sensitivity to food gel texture did not differ in the type of eating behavior, as well as in the average daily intake of energy, macronutrients and dietary fiber. Correlation analysis revealed a negative relationship (rs=-0.37, p=0.020) between the percentage of correct answers when determining the hardness of the agar-gelatin gel and the level of the stomach fullness among all participants (n=38). In the sensory evaluation of fruit jelly, it was found that the descriptor «hard» was chosen by 60 and 22% (p=0.025) of the participants from the groups with high and low textural sensitivity, respectively. Conclusion. The ability to discriminate the hardness of an agar-gelatin gel is higher in people with a low level of stomach fullness feeling. Sensitivity to the texture of food gel is not related to energy value and macronutrient content in the daily diet and does not depend on the type of eating behavior. Participants with high food textural sensitivity are more likely to use the characteristic "hard" when evaluating fruit jelly.

Aims: To perform the analysis of adverse events (AE) rate and trends of physiologically meaningful parameters in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) with the mobile remote monitoring option.Methods: In 9 clinical centers of the Russian Federation and 2 clinical centers of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 126 patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or a pacemaker (PM) equipped with the Home Monitoring (HM) technology (BIOTRONIK, Berlin, Germany) were enrolled. Based on the daily data transmission, all alarm alerts, all HM options changes and all AE were recorded with dated alert content and undertaken measures.Results: The study patients, followed up at least for one year, experienced 42 adverse events (AE), of which 26 were serious AE (SAE) and 3 SAE were defined as device-related (SAED). ICD patients (N=90) with concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD) had a statistically significantly higher SAE prevalence (p=0.0249). Patients with CRT-D had a lower SAE rate than patients with dual- or single-chamber ICD (р=0.046). Downloads of Home Monitoring parameters for retrospective mathematical analysis were available for 60 ICD patients, of which 47 had episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF) and/or atrial tachyarrhythmia (AT). Machine learning analysis of the trends of the physiologically meaningful parameters revealed correlations between changes and arrhythmia episodes, with the random forest and gradient boosting methods demonstrating the random effect of the results.Conclusion: Home Monitoring of CIED patients enables the evaluation of different devices applications and their clinical advantages. This might implement the prevention of adverse events and iatrogenic effects of pacing. Based on daily transmission of physiologically meaningful Home Monitoring parameters, the study results demonstrate the feasibility of developing a prediction algorithm for adverse events.

Prompt diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) remains challenging, which often results in a delayed or inappropriate treatment of this life-threatening condition. Mobile thrombus in the right cardiac chambers is a neglected cause of PE. It poses an immediate risk to life and is associated with an unfavorable outcome and high mortality. Thrombus residing in the right atrial appendage (RAA) is an underestimated cause of PE, especially in patients with atrial fibrillation. This article reviews achievements and challenges of detection and management of the right atrial thrombus with emphasis on RAA thrombus. The capabilities of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and advantages of three-dimensional and two-dimensional echocardiography are reviewed. Strengths of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), computed tomography, and cardiac ventriculography are summarized. We suggest that a targeted search for RAA thrombus is necessary in high-risk patients with PE and atrial fibrillation using transesophageal echocardiography and/or CMR when available independently on the duration of the disease. High-risk patients may also benefit from transthoracic echocardiography with right parasternal approach. The examination of high-risk patients should involve compression ultrasonography of lower extremity veins along with the above-mentioned technologies. Algorithms for RAA thrombus risk assessment and protocols aimed at identification of patients with RAA thrombosis, who will potentially benefit from treatment, are warranted. The development of treatment protocols specific for the diverse populations of patients with right cardiac thrombosis is important.

Previous studies show inconsistent results on the role of innervation imaging (with I-123-mIBG) and perfusion imaging in predicting appropriate ICD therapy (aICDth). These studies included patients with both dilated and ischemic cardiomyopathy. This study compared the ability of 123I-mIBG imaging along with perfusion imaging (using thallium-199) to predict aICDth in patients with ischemic heart failure (IHF) in relation to indication for ICD implantation (primary vs. secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD)). mIBG/thallium SPECT imaging were performed before ICD implantation in 80 patients with IHF: 49 candidates for primary and 31 for secondary SCD prevention. During a mean follow-up of 18 months, the imaging results could not predict patients with appropriate ICD therapy among patients with ICD implants for primary SCD prevention. While in the secondary SCD prevention group, those who received a ICDth had significantly larger summed scores of regional perfusion and innervation impairment, but not higher heart-to-mediastinal mIBG ratio. The best results to predict aICDth were using mIBG summed score (cut-off point > 34%, sensitivity 72%, specificity 100%, AUC 0.909, P

The incidence of food addiction (FA) and associations between FA and anthropometric and psycho-emotional characteristics of young Russian adults were studied. In this study, 1,237 students (age, M = 20.6, SD = 4.6 years; 79% females) of universities located in four cities of Russia were attended. They provided demographics and filled in the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. Data were analysed via Chi-squared tests, logistic regression analysis, and an analysis of covariance. 13.2% of participants met diagnostic criteria for FA based on the YFAS. On average, the participants reported 2.6 FA symptoms (SD = 1.5). FA was more commonly detected in females (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.10, 3.15, p = .021). No relationship was found between age and the incidence of FA. Significant positive associations between FA, the severity of depression (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.91, 2.80, p = .000), and an emotional eating behaviour (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.20, 1.76, p = .000) were found. The waist-to-height ratio was found to be the anthropometric indicator most closely associated with FA (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.27, 1.76, p = .000). HIGHLIGHTS: The prevalence of food addiction in the current sample was 13.2%. In young Russian adults, emotional eating behaviour and depression are associated with food addiction. In young Russian adults, the waist-to-height ratio is the anthropometric indicator most closely associated with food addiction.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is one of the methods of treating patients with chronic heart failure, which can reduce the mortality rate of this group. Scintigraphic assessment of sympathetic myocardial innervation allows us to evaluate the heart failure prognosis and the effectiveness of interventional treatment. The method is based on use of the radiopharmaceutical 123 I-methiodiobenzylguanidine (123 I-MIBG), which is a structural analogue of norepinephrine and is able to selectively accumulate in the sympathetic nerve endings. This review includes a brief description of norepinephrine metabolism and pharmacokinetics of 123 I-MIBG in the sympathetic nerve ending, a brief description of the study methodology and the clinical significance of this method in patients with heart failure. Particular attention is paid to the possibilities of using this method in patients with severe chronic heart failure before and after CRT.

Rationale — Several biomarkers are used to determine the prognosis of patients with heart failure (HF), including neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL, Lipocalin-2). We investigated NGAL serum levels in patients with HF and coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods — Fifty-three patients with chronic HF and stable multivessel CAD were included in the study. Patients were grouped on the basis of the NGAL level: low NGAL group (NGAL

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves the outcome in patients with heart failure (HF). However, approximately 30% of patients are nonresponsive to CRT. The aim of this study was to determine the role of the left ventricular (LV) mechanical dyssynchrony (MD) and scar burden as predictors of CRT response. Methods: In this study, we included 56 patients with HF and the left bundle-branch block with QRS duration ≥ 150 ms who underwent CRT-D implantation. In addition to a full examination, myocardial perfusion imaging and gated blood-pool single-photon emission computed tomography were performed. Patients were grouped based on the response to CRT assessed via echocardiography (decrease in LV end-systolic volume ≥15% or/and improvement in the LV ejection fraction ≥5%). Results: In total, 45 patients (80.3%) were responders and 11 (19.7%) were nonresponders to CRT. In multivariate logistic regression, LV anterior-wall standard deviation (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.5275; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1472–2.0340; p = 0.0037), summed rest score (OR 0.7299; 95% CI 0.5627–0.9469; p = 0.0178), and HF nonischemic etiology (OR 20.1425; 95% CI 1.2719–318.9961; p = 0.0331) were the independent predictors of CRT response. Conclusion: Scar burden and MD assessed using cardiac scintigraphy are associated with response to CRT.