Almanac 2013: cardiac arrhythmias and pacing--an editorial overview of selected research that has driven recent advances in clinical cardiology.

Important advances have been made in the past few years in the fields of clinical cardiac electrophysiology and pacing. Researchers and clinicians have a greater understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying atrial fibrillation (AF), which has transpired into improved methods of detection, risk stratification, and treatments. The introduction of novel oral anticoagulants has provided clinicians with alternative options in managing patients with AF at moderate to high thromboembolic risk and further data has been emerging on the use of catheter ablation for the treatment of symptomatic AF. Another area of intense research in the field of cardiac arrhythmias and pacing is in the use of cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) for the treatment of patients with heart failure. Following the publication of major landmark randomised controlled trials reporting that CRT confers a survival advantage in patients with severe heart failure and improves symptoms, many subsequent studies have been performed to further refine the selection of patients for CRT and determine the clinical characteristics associated with a favourable response. The field of sudden cardiac death and implantable cardioverter defibrillators also continues to be actively researched, with important new epidemiological and clinical data emerging on improved methods for patient selection, risk stratification, and management.This review covers the major recent advances in these areas related to cardiac arrhythmias and pacing.

Almanac 2012: cell therapy in cardiovascular disease. the national society journals present selected research that has driven recent advances in clinical cardiology.

The rapid translation from bench to bedside that has been seen in the application of regenerative medicine to cardiology has led to exciting new advances in our understanding of some of the fundamental mechanisms related to human biology. The first generation of cells used in phase l-ll trials (mainly bone marrow mononuclear cells) are now entering phase III clinical trials with the goal of producing a cell-based therapeutic that can change the outcome of cardiac disease. First generation cell therapy appears to have addressed safety concerns as well as showing "activity" in numerous published meta-analyses. With the knowledge gained to date, the field is moving towards the next generation of cells-the "engineered" cell-that have been developed to display a phenotype that will further enhance the myocardial repair/salvage process. This almanac review covers the latest basic research that may soon have application to humans as well as the results of the latest clinical trials.

[Selling health! A new look at old-time pharmacy almanacs]. / Vendendo saúde! Revisitando os antigos almanaques de farmácia.

Offering images of pharmaceutical products and marketing strategies, pharmacy almanacs are a valuable source when researching the history of medications. The article analyzes the idea of science that was presented in these almanacs and demonstrates how this research source is pertinent to the history both of science and of advertising in Brazil.

The medical content of English almanacs 1640-1700.

There has been a great deal of recent interest in popular health care in early modern England, resulting in studies on a range of topics from practitioners through remedial treatment. Over the past decade, the history of books has also attracted growing interest. This is particularly true for the seventeenth century, a period marked by a dramatic rise in all types of printed works. The 1640s are especially significant in the evolution of printed vernacular medical publications, which continued to flourish during the rest of the century. While recent studies on popular medical books have contributed greatly to our understanding of contemporary medical beliefs and practices, they have failed to properly recognize the effect that almanacs had on early modern medicine. Although their primary function was not to disseminate medical information, most provided a great deal of medical information. Furthermore, these cheap, annual publications targeted and were read by a wide cross-section of the public, making them the first true form of British mass media. This article is based on the content of 1,392 almanacs printed between 1640 and 1700, which may make it the largest comparative study of the medical content of any early modern printed works. The project has resulted in two major findings. First of all, almanacs played a major part in the dissemination, continuing popularity, and longevity of traditional astrological and Galenic beliefs and practices. Secondly, at the same time, almanacs played an important early role in the growth of medical materialism in Britain.

Almanaque histórico: Oswaldo Cruz: o médico do Brasil / History almanac: Oswaldo Cruz: the doctor of Brazil

O Projeto Memória - uma parceria entre a Fundação Banco do Brasil e a Odebrecht - vem, desde 1997, resgatando, difundindo e preservando a história de fatos e personalidades que, nas mais diversas áreas, tenham contribuído para formar a identidade cultural do país. Em 2003, o Projeto Memória conta com a colaboração fundamental da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), entidade centenária que o sanitarista pôs de pé, e à qual dedicou seus mais generosos esforços.

[About "Almanach de la Pharmacie Brunot", pharmaceutical advertising in "Limousin" at the beginning of the XXth century]. / Au sujet de l'almanach de la pharmacie Brunot, la publicité pharmaceutique en Limousin au début du XXe siècle.

It seems necessary to bring further information after Mr. Portenart's paper. The "Almanach" published by "Pharmacie Brunot" was a good example of advertising pharmacists used at the beginning of the XXth century. It is not abnormal and advertising were numerous during the first fifty years of the century.

[Notes on several almanachs Abbe Chaupitre]. / Notes sur quelques almanachs Abbe Chaupitre.

The author brings additional material to the article by C. Raynal and T. Lefebvre on the Abbe Chaupitre Laboratory published in the current Revue (1999, p. 49-58). It concerns the almanachs published by this firm in 1935, 1936, 1938 and 1939, which constitute an important source for the history of this laboratory, of homeopathy as well as of pharmaceutical advertising.

[Hygiene, dietetics and medicine in arab agricultural calendars]. / Hygiène, diététique et médecine dans les calendriers agricoles arabes.

The author studied nine arab agricultural calendars placed at intervals between the Kitab al-Azmina or the Book of seasons by Jean Mésué (IXth c.) and a tunisian calendar of the XIXth c. of andalusian origin (?). There is a clear relationship between these different calendars, all of them issued from an archetype lost today, which would have been a mixture of basic principles and traditions of different origins. One could no longer identify today with certainty but one could discern its preislamic tradition (the calendar system of the anwâ'), babylonian tradition (the predictions extracted from astronomic, meteorologic or geologic events) and a greek tradition (the influence of the humoral theory). In matter of dietetic, these calendars real authentic almanachs do nothing but reproduce the hippocratic prescriptions. In matter of hygiene, they specify seasons for physical exercices, bath as well as the perfumes to make use of. Otherwise these almanachs mention the most usual affections and the liabale means to cure, or better, to prevent them. Are recommanded differents electuaries including the theriac, trochics, eyewashes and other medications.