Branched-chain amino acids ameliorate heart failure with cardiac cachexia in rats.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) is associated with changes in energy metabolism of the heart, as well as in extra-cardiac organs such as the skeletal muscles. Cardiac cachexia is a common complication and is associated with poor prognosis. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) reportedly improve sarcopenia and cancer cachexia.

Measurement of technetium-99m sestamibi signals in rats administered a mitochondrial uncoupler and in a rat model of heart failure.

Background: Many methods have been used to assess mitochondrial function. Technetium-99m sestamibi ((99m)Tc-MIBI), a lipophilic cation, is rapidly incorporated into myocardial cells by diffusion and mainly localizes to the mitochondria. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether measurement of (99m)Tc-MIBI signals in animal models could be used as a tool to quantify mitochondrial membrane potential at the organ level.

Thin-film electroencephalographic electrodes using multi-walled carbon nanotubes are effective for neurosurgery.

Background: Intraoperative morphological and functional monitoring is essential for safe neurosurgery. Functional monitoring is based on electroencephalography (EEG), which uses silver electrodes. However, these electrodes generate metal artifacts as silver blocks X-rays, creating white radial lines on computed tomography (CT) images during surgery.

Persistent overexpression of phosphoglycerate mutase, a glycolytic enzyme, modifies energy metabolism and reduces stress resistance of heart in mice.

Background: Heart failure is associated with changes in cardiac energy metabolism. Glucose metabolism in particular is thought to be important in the pathogenesis of heart failure. We examined the effects of persistent overexpression of phosphoglycerate mutase 2 (Pgam2), a glycolytic enzyme, on cardiac energy metabolism and function.

Constitutive SIRT1 overexpression impairs mitochondria and reduces cardiac function in mice.

Heart failure is associated with a change in cardiac energy metabolism. SIRT1 is a NAD(+)-dependent protein deacetylase, and important in the regulation of cellular energy metabolism. To examine the role of SIRT1 in cardiac energy metabolism, we created transgenic mice overexpressing SIRT1 in a cardiac-specific manner, and investigated cardiac functional reserve, energy reserve, substrate uptake, and markers of mitochondrial function.

Analysis of liver metabolism in a rat model of heart failure.

Background: Cachexia, namely body wasting, is a common complication in cases of congestive heart failure (CHF). Although, neurohumoral and immune abnormalities are associated with the condition, precisely how the imbalance of catabolism and anabolism is responsible for the wasting process is not known.

Methods: We analyzed markers of cachexia in Dahl salt-sensitive rats which show marked hypertension with preserved systolic function at 11 weeks and CHF at 17-19 weeks of age.

Direct production of high-power radially polarized output from a side-pumped Nd:YVO4 bounce amplifier using a photonic crystal mirror.

We produced a high power radially-polarized output directly from a diode-pumped Nd:YVO(4) bounce amplifier, using an autocloned photonic crystal mirror as an output coupler, with a simple cavity configuration. The radially-polarized output power of approximately 6 W was achieved, and a corresponding slope efficiency was estimated to be approximately 17 %. The output was characterized to be an ideal radially-polarized beam from its polarization distribution profiles.

Hydrocortisone reduces restenosis after stenting of small coronary arteries.

Stenting of small coronary arteries has been limited by high rates of restenosis, and restenosis after stenting has chiefly been attributed to inflammatory reactions resulting in cell proliferation and intimal hyperplasia. In order to suppress this inflammatory process, we examined the effects of hydrocortisone, an antiinflammatory agent, on restenosis after stenting in a nonrandomized retrospective registry. The study population consisted of 193 patients treated at two hospitals, who underwent stent implantations in coronary arteries of reference diameter <3 mm between February 1999 and September 2001.

The effect of hydrocortisone on reducing rates of restenosis and target lesion revascularization after coronary stenting less than 3 mm in stent diameter.

Objective: Stenting of small coronary arteries has always been limited by high rates of restenosis, and restenosis has mainly been attributed to inflammatory reactions resulting in cell proliferation and intimal hyperplasia. Based on our experience for several years, we retrospectively investigated the effect of hydrocortisone on reducing in-stent restenosis.

Patients And Methods: Study population consisted of consecutive 166 patients, 221 lesions, who electively underwent stent implantations stent diameter less than 3 mm into coronary arteries between February 1999 and October 2002.

Elevated complement C3a in plasma from patients with severe acute asthma.

Background: Complement component C3a, an anaphylatoxin, provokes acute inflammatory responses, including smooth muscle contraction, mucus hypersecretion, increase in vascular permeability, and recruitment of inflammatory cells. Thus C3a may be related to airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction in acute asthma exacerbation.

Objective: We sought to determine whether plasma C3a is elevated in patients presenting for emergency treatment of acute asthma exacerbations and to correlate C3a concentrations with response to therapy.

Efficacy of a consensus protocol therapy in adults with acute, severe asthma.

Background: International guidelines recommend multiple doses of inhaled beta2-agonists and anticholinergics plus early administration of systemic corticosteroids for acute, severe asthma. This study examined the efficacy of this protocol in adults and analyzed those factors associated with unresponsiveness to the protocol therapy.

Objective: Ninety-three consecutive patients 18 to 55 years old presenting for treatment of acute asthma with a peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) < or = 50% of the predicted value were analyzed.