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| Joseph F Spear Ph.D. |
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| Professor of Physiology Head of Physiology Labs, VET Department of Animal Biology 3800 Spruce Street School of Veterinary Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104-6010 |
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| Qualifications |
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1961-65 B.S. Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Research Interests |
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| Our laboratory is interested in studying the basic cellular electrophysiologic mechanisms which determine cardiac excitation, conduction and refractoriness with a view to understanding the causes of cardiac arrhythmias and developing modalities to control them. Our experiments utilize in vitro animal models to study the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias. We derive information about the underlying membrane electrophysiologic characteristics which contribute to the abnormal conduction and automaticity at the basis of arrhythmias. Much of our past work has focused on a canine model of "healed" myocardial infarction which has proven to be a useful analog of the human condition. Our current investigations involve studying how antiarrhythmic agents cause arrhythmias (proarrhythmia). In this regard we are focusing on an animal model of drug induced long Q-T syndrome. We are also studying ways of salvaging ischemic myocardium at risk for infarction. Our goal is to generate new information which may be useful in designing new therapeutic modalities. |
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| Selected Publications |
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| Spear, J.F., Hook B.G., Josephson, M.E. and Moore, E.N.: The modulation of procainamide's effect on conduction by cellular uncoupling in perfused rabbit hearts. J Cardiovasc. Electrophys. 8:199-214, 1997. Spear, J.F. and Moore, E.N.: The modulation of quinidine induced arrhythmias by temperature in the perfused rabbit heart. Amer. J. Physiol., 274:H817-H828, 1998. Spear, J.F. and Moore, E.N.: The modulation of arrhythmias by isoproterenol in a rabbit heart model of d-sotalol induced long Q-T interval. Amer. J. Physiol.279:H15-H25, 2000. Spear, J.F. and Moore EN: Gender and seasonal related differences in myocardial recovery and susceptibility to sotalol induced arrhythmias in isolated rabbit hearts. J. Cardiovasc. Electrophys. 11:880-887, 2000. Spear, J.F. and Moore EN: Effect of acute global low-flow ischemia on triggered arrhythmias in d-sotalol induced long-QT intervals in perfused rabbit hearts. J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol., 37:196-208, 2001. Spear, J.F. and Moore EN: Preconditioning attenuates the shortening of recovery during coronary occlusion in isolated rabbit hearts with d-sotalol induced long-QT intervals. J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol., 39:761-776, 2002. |
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