Chronic administration of ivabradine improves cardiac Ca handling and function in a rat model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a severe muscle disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding for the intracellular protein dystrophin, is associated with impaired cardiac function and arrhythmias. A causative factor for complications in the dystrophic heart is abnormal calcium (Ca) handling in ventricular cardiomyocytes, and restoration of normal Ca homeostasis has emerged as therapeutic strategy. Here, we used a rodent model of DMD, the dystrophin-deficient DMD rat, to test the following hypothesis: chronic administration of ivabradine (IVA), a drug clinically approved for the treatment of heart failure, improves Ca handling in dystrophic ventricular cardiomyocytes and thereby enhances contractile performance in the dystrophic heart.

Autoimmune Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis: A Rare Diagnosis in Pediatric Age.

Autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (AI-PAP) is a rare condition, especially in children. The clinical presentation ranges from asymptomatic forms to respiratory distress requiring ventilation. We describe the case of a 13-year-old adolescent male who presented to the emergency department with acute pleuritic chest pain not associated with systemic complaints.

Tetrahedrite Nanocomposites for High Performance Thermoelectrics.

Thermoelectric (TE) materials offer a promising solution to reduce green gas emissions, decrease energy consumption, and improve energy management due to their ability to directly convert heat into electricity and vice versa. Despite their potential, integrating new TE materials into bulk TE devices remains a challenge. To change this paradigm, the preparation of highly efficient tetrahedrite nanocomposites is proposed.

Managing Bacteremia: Insights Into Pathogen-Specific Treatment.

Recent advances in the treatment of bacteremia have challenged traditional approaches, particularly regarding the duration of antibiotic therapy and the transition from intravenous to oral regimens. This paper reviews these updates, focusing on evidence-based strategies for managing bacteremia caused by Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. Criteria for transitioning to oral therapy, clinical decision-making for uncomplicated cases, and evidence supporting shorter antibiotic courses are discussed.

Hemodynamic effect of outpatient levosimendan infusion assessed daily using the CardioMEMS invasive remote monitoring system.

Introduction And Objectives: Levosimendan infusion in the outpatient setting improves the clinical status of heart failure (HF) patients, although its hemodynamic effects are not entirely known. Remote monitoring using the CardioMEMS system enables daily assessment of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and estimation of cardiac output (CO). We aimed to assess the hemodynamic effects of outpatient levosimendan infusion using CardioMEMS.