The aim of the present study was to determine predictors of appropriate device therapy in patients receiving ICDs for primary prevention.

Methods & Results: One hundred twenty-six patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of <35% and no prior documented ventricular arrhythmias underwent ICD implantation. The ICD implanted was single chamber in 60 (48%), dual chamber in 10 (8%), and biventricular in 56 (44%) patients and programmed with a single selleck chemical ventricular

fibrillation (VF) zone at >180 beats per minute. Mean age was 58 +/- 13 years and mean LVEF was 23 +/- 7%. Fifty-two percent had ischemic cardiomyopathy and 66% were New York Heart Association heart failure class II/III. During a mean follow-up period of 589 +/- 353 days, 17 (13%) patients received appropriate device therapy and three (4%) received inappropriate shocks. Appropriate ICD therapy was associated with reduced LVEF (mean 19.9% vs 23.7%, P = 0.02) and the patients were less likely to have received angiotensin-converting

enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (AIIRB) (65% vs 90%, P = 0.04). Multivariate analysis revealed lack of ACEI/AIIRB (odds ratio [OR] = 0.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01-0.37, P = <0.01) and lower LVEF (OR = 0.88, 95% CI NU7026 DNA Damage inhibitor 0.79-0.98, P = 0.02) predicted appropriate device activation. There was no difference in transplant-free survival between the appropriate therapy and no/inappropriate therapy groups, IWR-1-endo datasheet LVEF <20% and LVEF >20% group, and lack of ACEI/AHRB and ACEI/AIIRB group.

Conclusion: Appropriate device activation occurred in 13% of patients in a primary prevention population. LVEF and absence of ACEI/AIIRB predicted appropriate ICD therapy. (PACE 2010; 33:696-704)”
“In this study we examined the influence of the treatment time and addition of oxygen on the efficiency of a laccase mediator system (L) applied to flax pulp at atmospheric pressure. The redox potential and the dissolved oxygen concentration during L tests

are measured. After L stage, an alkaline extraction (E) is carried out. The pulp properties (kappa number, brightness and viscosity) and the effluents properties (color and COD) were measured in order to evaluate the environmental impact of this enzymatic treatment.

The biotreatment involves two distinct stages in both L and LE sequences: in the beginning the pulp exhibits a fast delignification and a slow viscosity decrease that is followed by slow delignification in the second. Pulp brightness changed differently during L stage and LE sequence. Initially brightness after the L stage decreased with respect to the initial pulp; then, it increased rapidly and eventually leveled off. After the LE sequence, brightness increased rapidly in the beginning and more gradually afterwards.