MMP-8 causes leftward shift in end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship and may explain the development of diastolic dysfunction in septic cardiomyopathy.

Septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) with diastolic dysfunction carries a poor prognosis, and the mechanisms underlying the development of diastolic dysfunction remain unclear. Matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) is released from neutrophils and degrades collagen I. MMP-8 levels correlate with SCM severity.

Novel Peripheral Perfusion Dynamics Indices for Detecting and Grading Arterial Stenosis.

Purpose: Peripheral artery disease causes severe morbidity, especially in diabetics and the elderly. There is a need for accurate noninvasive detection of peripheral arterial stenosis. The study has tested the hypothesis that arterial stenosis and the associated adaptation of the downstream circulation yield characteristic changes in the leg perfusion dynamics that enable early diagnosis, utilizing impedance plethysmography.

Extracorporeal acute cardiac pacing by high intensity focused ultrasound.

Ultrasound has been shown to produce Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVC's). Two clinical applications in which acute cardiac pacing by ultrasound may be valuable are: (1) preoperative patient screening in cardiac resynchronization therapy surgery; (2) Emergency life support, following an event of sudden death, caused by cardiac arrest. Yet, previously the demonstrated mean success rate of extra-systole induction by High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) in rats is below 4.