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Cardiovasc Toxicol 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Cardiology II - Electrophysiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.

A post hoc analysis of the PALLAS trial suggested life-threatening interactions of digitalis and dronedarone. Thus, there is concern about an interplay between digitalis and other drugs that influence cardiac electrophysiology. We therefore investigated the interaction between digitalis and flecainide or ranolazine. Read More

Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2018 Nov 30;64(14):89-95. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Plant Breeding, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.

Digitalis nervosa is an important medicinal plant species belonging to the family of Scrophulariaceae that has the potential to be used for heart failure. 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) is a key gene in the biosynthesis of cardenolides for making digitalis effective compounds, hence identification of this gene is important for genetic engineering purposes towards increasing the yield of cardiac glycosides. In addition, mRNA-like non-coding RNAs (mlncRNAs), a class of long non coding RNAs, play key roles in various biological processes and may affect cardenolides pathway in digitalis plants. Read More

Mol Phylogenet Evol 2018 Nov 3;131:1-7. Epub 2018 Nov 3.

Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile.

Mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) provide valuable phylogenetic information and genome-level characters that are useful in resolving evolutionary relationships within major lineages of gastropods. However, for more than one decade, these relationships and the phylogenetic position of Patellogastropoda have been inferred based on the genomic architecture as well as the nucleotide and protein sequences of a single representative, the limpet Lottia digitalis. This mitogenome exhibits extensive rearrangements and several repetitive units that may not represent universal features for Patellogastropoda. Read More

Circ J 2018 Oct 23. Epub 2018 Oct 23.

Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, CONICET La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.

Background: It has been shown that carvedilol and its non β-blocking analog, VK-II-86, inhibit spontaneous Ca release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The aim of this study is to determine whether carvedilol and VK-II-86 suppress ouabain-induced arrhythmogenic Ca waves and apoptosis in cardiac myocytes. Methods and Results: Rat cardiac myocytes were exposed to toxic doses of ouabain (50 µmol/L). Read More

Herzschrittmacherther Elektrophysiol 2018 Dec 25;29(4):369-376. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

I. Medizinische Klinik, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, DZHK, Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Deutschland.

The worldwide prevalence of heart failure is 1-2% with a portion of >10% in patients older than 70 years. In addition to treatment of causal determined factors and lifestyle modification, basic treatment consists of guideline-directed medical therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE), β‑blockers (BB), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA), diuretics, digitalis (class IIb recommendation), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), Iƒ-channel blockers plus recently recommended in the guidelines angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) to substitute the ACE inhibitor (class I b). Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) is a device-based electrical therapy for the treatment of refractory heart failure symptoms. Read More

Acta Clin Belg 2018 Oct 24:1-14. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

a Nephrology Section, Department of Internal Medicine , University Hospital Ghent , Belgium.

Objectives: In this publication, we review the definitions, symptoms, causes, differential diagnoses and therapies of hypokalemia and hyperkalemia.

Methods: Comprehensive tables and diagnostic algorithms are provided when appropriate.

Results And Conclusions: Although both hypokalemia and hyperkalemia may be life-threatening, this is essentially the case with severe changes (serum potassium < 2. Read More

Am J Transl Res 2018 15;10(9):2967-2974. Epub 2018 Sep 15.

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Perking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine Beijing 100029, P. R. China.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lethal idiopathic interstitial pulmonary disease characterized by progressive deterioration in lung function that commonly affects eldly people. The pathogenesis of the disease is incompletely understood and therefore lacking effective therapy. Ouabain a digitalis has been reported to be able to suppress lung fibroblast activation via downregulating TGF-β-smad signal pathway . Read More

PLoS One 2018 11;13(10):e0205440. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Background: Several randomized control trials have established that drugs can decrease the heart failure (HF) rehospitalization in patients with HF. However, limited studies have investigated the duration of medicine use to decrease the rehospitalization period in the real world. Hence, this study aims to investigate whether the evidence-based medicine decreases the HF rehospitalization in different treatment intervals in the clinical practice. Read More

Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2018 10 1;138(15). Epub 2018 Oct 1.

Background: The withdrawal of digitoxin and subsequent substitution with digoxin around 2012 may have led to an increased health risk for patients. The aim of this study was to follow individual patients during the switch.

Material And Method: Serum concentrations of digitoxin and digoxin, measured at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at St Olavs University Hospital in the period 1 January 2011-31 December 2013 were reviewed. Read More

Ochsner J 2018 ;18(3):288-290

Department of Cardiology, University of Miami/JFK Medical Center, Atlantis, FL.

Background: Bidirectional ventricular tachycardia is a rare form of ventricular arrhythmia, characterized by a changing of the mean QRS axis of 180 degrees. Digitalis toxicity is the most common cause of bidirectional ventricular tachycardia; other causes include myocarditis, aconite toxicity, metastatic cardiac tumor, myocardial infarction, and cardiac channelopathies.

Case Report: A 73-year-old male with hypertension and a pacemaker implanted for sick sinus syndrome presented with a complaint of substernal chest pressure for several days. Read More

Wiad Lek 2018 ;71(6):1279-1283

Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine.

Objective: Introduction: In recent years, a fundamentally new approach to the treatment of cardiopathology is actively developing, so it consists of the combined use of traditional drugs and medicinal products of plant origin (MP PO), because herbal remedies are mostly compatible with each other and with synthetic medicines, which leads to synergy of their action. The aim of this work is to briefly consider, on specific examples, the main methods of treating cardiovascular diseases with medicinal plants.

Patients And Methods: Materials and methods: Situational analysis of the target segment of finished medicinal products (MP) of plant origin for 2012-2017 was held and it indicates a significant potential for using them as a drug therapy or as a preventive measure in many diseases. Read More

Drug Chem Toxicol 2018 Sep 21:1-7. Epub 2018 Sep 21.

d Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology , College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University , Nablus , Palestine.

Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside derived from the common foxglove digitalis purpurea and has been available for several centuries as a medicinal agent. Despite extensive patient experience over many years, there remains some controversy regarding the possibility that digoxin might have a deleterious effect on survival. This study was constructed to assess trends in digoxin toxicity research using well-established qualitative and quantitative bibliometric indicators. Read More

Anesth Prog 2018 ;65(3):192-196

Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.

Stabilization of circulatory dynamics is a critical issue in the anesthetic management of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In this report, we managed general anesthesia for a 74-year-old male patient with nonobstructive HCM who developed circulatory instability intraoperatively. Severe bradycardia measuring 35 beats/min and hypotension measuring 78 mm Hg systolic were observed during surgery. Read More

J Dairy Sci 2018 Nov 13;101(11):10317-10326. Epub 2018 Sep 13.

Laboratory of Diagnostics and Analysis, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyon, 03200, Turkey.

The isolation and identification of microorganisms associated with digital dermatitis (DD) in Turkish dairy cattle was investigated using punch skin biopsy samples from typical clinical lesions; they were collected from dairy farms and abattoirs in 5 different geographical locations in Turkey. Morphological characteristics and flagellation types were examined using a transmission electron microscope, and their enzyme profiles by enzyme activation kits; their catalase reaction characteristics were evaluated by the addition of 3% HO. Their phylogenies were identified using 16S rRNA and the results compared with known gene bank data. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2018 Sep 1;19(9). Epub 2018 Sep 1.

Departments of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, USA.

The signaling function of the Na/K-ATPase has been established for 20 years and is widely accepted in the field, with many excellent reports and reviews not cited here. Even though there is debate about the underlying mechanism, the signaling function is unquestioned. This short review looks back at the evolution of Na/K-ATPase signaling, from stimulation by cardiotonic steroids (also known as digitalis-like substances) as specific ligands to stimulation by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in general. Read More

Orv Hetil 2018 Sep;159(36):1487-1492

Fül-Orr-Gégészeti és Fej-Nyaksebészeti Osztály, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Megyei Központi Kórház és Egyetemi Oktatókórház Miskolc, Szentpéteri kapu 72-76., 3526.

Our goal was to report a 44-year-old woman with carotid body tumor, and to give a brief and comprehensive presentation about the disease and summarize its complex management. Carotid body tumor is a rare, mostly sporadic, benign head and neck mass originating from the glomus caroticum. It occurs mostly in middle-aged women as a slowly growing, semifix, painless neck mass. Read More

Heart Lung 2018 Aug 29. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY, United States.

Introduction: Digitalis has been used for over 200 years to treat patients with heart failure, and evidence supports its use to improve clinical symptoms and quality of life, but not survival. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effects of digitalis on readmission and mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who were receiving current guideline recommended medical therapy.

Methods: We reviewed medical record data from a retrospective cohort study of 1047 patients admitted to the hospital from 2005 to 2014 with decompensated HFrEF. Read More

Phytochemistry 2018 Dec 29;156:9-19. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address:

PRISEs (progesterone 5β-reductase and/or iridoid synthase-like 1,4-enone reductases) are involved in cardenolide and iridoid biosynthesis. We here investigated a PRISE (rAtSt5βR) from Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant producing neither cardenolides nor iridoids. The structure of rAtSt5βR was elucidated with X-ray crystallography and compared to the known structures of PRISEs from Catharanthus roseus (rCrISY) and Digitalis lanata (rDlP5βR). Read More

Ecology 2018 Nov 12;99(11):2535-2545. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695, USA.

Hotspots of disease transmission can strongly influence pathogen spread. Bee pathogens may be transmitted via shared floral use, but the role of plant species and floral trait variation in shaping transmission dynamics is almost entirely unexplored. Given the importance of pathogens for the decline of several bee species, understanding whether and how plant species and floral traits affect transmission could give us important tools for predicting which plant species may be hotspots for disease spread. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2018 Aug 13;19(8). Epub 2018 Aug 13.

Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, 44 Torez Prospect, St. Petersburg 194223, Russia.

Background: Previous studies implicated cardiotonic steroids, including Na/K-ATPase inhibitor marinobufagenin (MBG), in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE). Immunoneutralization of heightened MBG by Digibind, a digoxin antibody, reduces blood pressure (BP) in patients with PE, and anti-MBG monoclonal antibody lessens BP in a rat model of PE. Recently, we demonstrated that MBG induces fibrosis in cardiovascular tissues via a mechanism involving inhibition of Fli-1, a nuclear transcription factor and a negative regulator of collagen-1 synthesis. Read More

Fundam Clin Pharmacol 2018 Aug 9. Epub 2018 Aug 9.

Klinik für Kardiologie II: Rhythmologie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Gebäude A1, 48149, Münster, Germany.

Administration of digitalis in heart failure (HF) increases quality of life but does not carry a prognostic benefit. Digitalis is an indirect inhibitor of the Na /Ca exchanger (NCX), which is overexpressed in HF. We therefore used the cardiac glycoside ouabain in Ca imaging experiments and patch-clamp experiments in isolated ventricular myocytes from nonfailing transgenic NCX overexpressor mice (OE). Read More

Am J Cardiovasc Drugs 2018 Dec;18(6):427-440

Gill Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Kentucky, 326 Wethington Building, 900 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY, 40536-0200, USA.

The history of digitalis is rich and interesting, with the first use usually attributed to William Withering and his study on the foxglove published in 1785. However, some knowledge of plants with digitalis-like effects used for congestive heart failure (CHF) was in evidence as early as Roman times. The active components of the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea and Digitalis lanata) are classified as cardiac glycosides or cardiotonic steroids and include the well-known digitalis leaf, digitoxin, and digoxin; ouabain is a rapid-acting glycoside usually obtained from Strophanthus gratus. Read More

JACC Basic Transl Sci 2017 Dec 25;2(6):669-683. Epub 2017 Dec 25.

Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Physiology, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Inotropic support is often required to stabilize the hemodynamics of patients with acute decompensated heart failure; while efficacious, it has a history of leading to lethal arrhythmias and/or exacerbating contractile and energetic insufficiencies. Novel therapeutics that can improve contractility independent of beta-adrenergic and protein kinase A-regulated signaling, should be therapeutically beneficial. This study demonstrates that acute protein kinase C-α/β inhibition, with ruboxistaurin at 3 months' post-myocardial infarction, significantly increases contractility and reduces the end-diastolic/end-systolic volumes, documenting beneficial remodeling. Read More

Am J Med Sci 2018 Nov 25;356(5):441-450. Epub 2018 Apr 25.

Department of Medicine, Upstate Medical University, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York. Electronic address:

This article traces the history of 5 cardiac drugs-Aspirin, Atropine, Digitalis, Nitroglycerine, and Quinidine-that have been in continuous use for centuries and some for longer. Four of the 5 started life as botanicals and 4 have as also served widely varied functions far removed from their current purposes. Collectively, they have played a role in the history of royalty, religious leaders, assassinations and military campaigns in addition to their place in medical therapy. Read More

Clin Sci (Lond) 2018 Jun 21;132(12):1215-1242. Epub 2018 Jun 21.

Emeritus Professor of Internal Medicine (Nephrology), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157-1053, U.S.A.

Endogenous digitalis-like factor(s), originally proposed as a vasoconstrictor natriuretic hormone, was discovered in fetal and neonatal blood accidentally because it cross-reacts with antidigoxin antibodies (ADAs). Early studies using immunoassays with ADA identified the digoxin-like immuno-reactive factor(s) (EDLF) in maternal blood as well, and suggested it originated in the feto-placental unit. Mammalian digoxin-like factors have recently been identified as at least two classes of steroid compounds, plant derived ouabain (O), and several toad derived bufodienolides, most prominent being marinobufagenin (MBG). Read More

Kardiologiia 2018 SMay(S5):13-19

"M. Gorky Donetsk National Medical University" of the Ukraine Ministry of Health Care.

In recent years there has been a marked decrease in cardiac glycosides use in patients with heart failure in sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation. The results of published studies contradict each other. Some of them doubt the favorable effect of digoxin in patients with heart failure; others refute the increase in the lethality and frequency of hospitalizations associated with the use of digoxin. Read More

Rev Fac Cien Med Univ Nac Cordoba 2017 09 8;74(3):231-238. Epub 2017 Sep 8.

Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires Cátedra de Física Biomédica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.

Background: Mitochondrial activity is essential for cardiac and skeletal muscle. The relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and different cardiovascular conditions has been well described. Pharmacological treatment for heart failure involves different drugs as: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, B-adrenergic blockers, digitalis glycosides and diuretics. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2018 Sep 6;105:533-539. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, 71515 Assiut, Egypt.

Background: Toxic effects of digoxin may occur with normal therapeutic serum level. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB) is an important transcription factor in most organ systems and is often implicated in the harmful effects of cardiac injury. Read More

Monaldi Arch Chest Dis 2018 Jun 7;88(2):948. Epub 2018 Jun 7.

Azienda ospedaliera G. Brotzu.

With improved health care and with population aging, heart failure (HF) has become a common disease among the elderly and is one of the principal causes of mortality in elderly age. But the pharmacological management of HF in the elderly has still not yet been defined, as the clinical context is complicated by comorbidities, and differs from that of younger adults. In general, elderly patients with HF should be treated according to current guideline recommendations, for which ACE-I, beta-blockers and anti-aldosterones constitute the cornerstone of therapy. Read More

Geriatr Psychol Neuropsychiatr Vieil 2018 Jun;16(2):165-171

Département de médecine interne-gériatrie-thérapeutique, CHU Rouen Saint-Julien, Le Petit Quevilly, France.

Digitalis remains a treatment that is difficult to manage, especially in the elderly.

Methods: A retrospective, unicentric study carried out within the unit of Internal medicine and geriatrics, Reims University Hospital Center, between January and June 2014. Collection of all patients hospitalized, after 75 years, receiving treatment with digitalis, either as soon as they enter (present on the usual prescription of the patient), during their hospitalization and on their exit. Read More

J Hypertens 2018 Sep;36(9):1929-1935

Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

Objective: To study association between relevant cardiovascular pharmacotherapy and incident congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients with atrial fibrillation treated in primary health care.

Methods: Study population included all adults (n = 7975) aged 45 years and older diagnosed with atrial fibrillation at 75 primary care centers in Sweden between 2001 and 2007. Outcome was defined as a first diagnosis of CHF post-atrial fibrillation diagnosis. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep 2018 Jun 2;10:233-235. Epub 2018 Mar 2.

Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, N.Y., United States.

Purpose: Since its report in one patient more than 70 years ago, digitalis-induced colored muscae volitantes have not surfaced again in the literature. We report here a case of digoxin induced colored floaters.

Observations: An 89-year-old man on 0. Read More

Food Chem Toxicol 2018 Sep 31;119:112-121. Epub 2018 May 31.

Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Italy.

Today, in many European countries, people are looking for wild edible plants to experience new tastes and flavors, by following the new trend of being green and environmentally friendly. Young borage and spinach leaves can be easily confused by inexpert pickers with those of other plants, including poisonous ones, such as Mandragora autumnalis Bertol. (mandrake) or Digitalis purpurea L. Read More

Internist (Berl) 2018 06;59(6):618-629

Abteilung für Elektrophysiologie, Herzzentrum Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland.

A number of rare cardiac diseases can be recognized by electrocardiogram (ECG). This article illustrates the clinical importance of ECG as a key diagnostic tool to detect Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and channelopathies, which are frequently diagnosed late after one or more affected family members have become victims of sudden cardiac death. These channelopathies include long QT syndrome, short QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Read More

Chemoecology 2018 1;28(1):11-19. Epub 2018 Mar 1.

1Department of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18d 75236 Uppsala, Sweden.

Bacteria on floral tissue can have negative effects by consuming resources and affecting nectar quality, which subsequently could reduce pollinator visitation and plant fitness. Plants however can employ chemical defences to reduce bacteria density. In North American, bee-pollinated , the nectar volatile -(+)-linalool can influence plant fitness, and terpenes such as linalool are known for their antimicrobial properties suggesting that it may also play a role in plant-microbe interactions. Read More

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2018 Mar;98(9):673-677

Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.

To investigate the clinical characteristics and pharmaceutical therapy of elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Using the multi-center retrospective cross-sectional survey, we analyzed 1 799 hospitalized patients with CHF as the main cause and NYHA heart function classification Ⅱ-Ⅳ from nine tertiary hospitals of Tianjin during March 2014 to February 2016. According to age, we divided them into non- elderly group(age<65 years), normal elderly group (age ≥65-79 years), and the old elderly group(age≥80 years). Read More

Eur J Heart Fail 2018 Jul 1;20(7):1139-1145. Epub 2018 Mar 1.

Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.

Aims: To evaluate the effects of digoxin in patients with the newly described phenotype of heart failure (HF) and mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF), attributed to mild left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Methods And Results: We carried out a retrospective analysis of the Digitalis Investigation Group (DIG) trial which had 7788 patients available for analysis with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ranging between 3% and 85%. We compared the effect of digoxin to placebo in three mutually exclusive groups of patients defined by LVEF category: <40% (HF with reduced LVEF, HFrEF, n = 5874), 40-49% (HFmrEF, n = 1195) and ≥50% (HF with preserved LVEF, HFpEF, n = 719). Read More

J Electrocardiol 2018 May - Jun;51(3):450-451. Epub 2018 Feb 8.

Department of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States. Electronic address:

This report describes a digitalis-induced regular fascicular ventricular tachycardia characterized by marked QRS alternans a manifestation not usually associated with this arrhythmia. The striking alternation of QRS configuration suggested alternating ventricular activation from either a single focus with two exits in distal branches of the left anterior fascicle or 2 different foci localized in the Purkinje-myocardial network of the left anterior fascicle. Read More

J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2017 Sep;47(3):288-295

JA Vale, NPIS (Birmingham Unit), City Hospital, Birmingham B18 7QH, UK. Email:

This paper reviews Churchill's illness in Carthage in December 1943. It was characterised by fever that lasted 6 days, left lower lobe pneumonia and two episodes of atrial fibrillation. He was managed in a private villa by Lord Moran, his personal physician, with the assistance of two nurses and the expert advice of colleagues. Read More

Curr Hypertens Rev 2018 ;14(1):35-38

Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, St. Petersburg, 194223, Russian Federation.

Background And Objective: Previously it was demonstrated that digitalis-like cardiotonic steroid, marinobufagenin (MBG), is implicated in the development of ethanol addiction in rats. We hypothesized that (i) levels of sodium pump ligand, MBG, would be negatively correlated with the amount of ethanol consumed by rats, and (ii) that spironolactone would oppose the MBG induced ethanol-seeking behavior and blood pressure in rats.

Methods: Voluntary consumption of 9% alcohol (vs. Read More

3 Biotech 2018 Feb 25;8(2):99. Epub 2018 Jan 25.

1Department of Biology, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, 14030 Turkey.

The present study reports the role of auxin and its transport inhibitor during the establishment of an efficient and optimized protocol for the somatic embryogenesis in Ivan. Hypocotyl segments (5 mm long) were placed vertically in the Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with three sets [indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) alone or 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA) alone or IAA-TIBA combination] of formulations of plant growth regulators, to assess their differential influence on induction and proliferation of somatic embryos (SEs). IAA alone was found to be the most effective, at a concentration of 0. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2018 Apr 8;36(4):735.e1-735.e3. Epub 2018 Jan 8.

Scientific Research and Education Department, Aerospace Center Hospital, 15 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.

Bidirectional ventricular tachycardia (BVT) is a rare ventricular tachyarrhythmia. It is usually regular, demonstrating a beat-to-beat alternation in the QRS frontal axis that varies between -20° to -30° and +110°. The tachycardia rate is typically between 140 and 180 beats/min and the QRS is relatively narrow, with a duration of 120 to 150 ms. Read More

Rev Infirm 2018 Feb;67(238):29-30

115, rue de Reuilly, 75012 Paris, France. Electronic address:

Although the digital transformation is widely viewed as a lever for productivity, it is now also seen, in public occupational health policies, as a factor for the potential increase in occupational risks. This digital transformation can also provide possible solutions enabling the homo digitalis to avoid these risks. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2018 Feb 30;70(1):184-189. Epub 2017 Aug 30.

Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Background: Digoxin is the oldest drug used in the pharmacotherapy of heart failure (HF). However, digoxin remains an important therapeutic option for patients with persistent symptoms of HF occurring despite the implementation of standard pharmacotherapy. Digoxin concentration serum (SCD) should equal 1-2ng/ml. Read More

J Am Med Dir Assoc 2018 Apr 12;19(4):371.e1-371.e9. Epub 2018 Feb 12.

Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Geriatric Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Background And Objective: Use of certain medications is recognized as a major and modifiable risk factor for falls. Although the literature on psychotropic drugs is compelling, the literature on cardiovascular drugs as potential fall-risk-increasing drugs is conflicting. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to provide a comprehensive overview of the associations between cardiovascular medications and fall risk in older adults. Read More

Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd 2018 Feb;160(2):107-114

Abteilung Nutztierchirurgie, Departement für Nutztiere, Universität Zürich.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between lameness scoring and clinical findings. The lameness scoring and a gait assessment took place during drying off, the first week after calving and two months after calving in 29 lame and 27 free of lameness cows. In between the farmer scored the lamness. Read More

J Clin Pharm Ther 2018 Jun 24;43(3):377-384. Epub 2018 Jan 24.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

What Is Known And Objective: Digoxin is commonly prescribed for heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Due to digoxin's narrow therapeutic range, monitoring the serum digoxin concentration (SDC) is important. However, the SDC measurement is not widely available. Read More

Praxis (Bern 1994) 2018 Jan;107(1):35-38

1 Kantonsspital Olten.

Am J Med 2018 Jun 25;131(6):676-683.e2. Epub 2017 Dec 25.

The Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Mass.

Background: Digoxin has been shown to reduce heart failure hospitalizations with a neutral effect on mortality. It is unknown whether there is heterogeneity of treatment effect for digitalis therapy according to predicted risk of heart failure hospitalization.

Methods And Results: We conducted a post hoc analysis of the Digitalis Investigator Group (DIG) studies, randomized controlled trials of digoxin vs placebo in participants with heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤45% (main DIG study, n = 6800) or >45% (ancillary DIG study, n = 988). Read More