Stretch Harmonizes Sarcomere Strain Across the Cardiomyocyte.

Background: Increasing cardiomyocyte contraction during myocardial stretch serves as the basis for the Frank-Starling mechanism in the heart. However, it remains unclear how this phenomenon occurs regionally within cardiomyocytes, at the level of individual sarcomeres. We investigated sarcomere contractile synchrony and how intersarcomere dynamics contribute to increasing contractility during cell lengthening.

Exercise reduces intramuscular stress and counteracts muscle weakness in mice with breast cancer.

Background: Patients with breast cancer exhibit muscle weakness, which is associated with increased mortality risk and reduced quality of life. Muscle weakness is experienced even in the absence of loss of muscle mass in breast cancer patients, indicating intrinsic muscle dysfunction. Physical activity is correlated with reduced cancer mortality and disease recurrence.

Body composition, but not insulin resistance, influences postprandial lipemia in patients with Turner's syndrome.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of body composition and insulin resistance on the magnitude of postprandial lipemia in patients with Turner's syndrome receiving oral versus transdermal estrogen replacement.

Methods: Twenty-five patients with Turner's syndrome receiving oral or transdermal estrogen replacement were evaluated for body mass index, waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios, fasting glycemia, insulin, body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), and postprandial lipid metabolism. For statistical analysis, we used parametric tests to compare numeric variables between the two subgroups.

Mitochondrial Reversible Changes Determine Diastolic Function Adaptations During Myocardial (Reverse) Remodeling.

Background: Often, pressure overload-induced myocardial remodeling does not undergo complete reverse remodeling after decreasing afterload. Recently, mitochondrial abnormalities and oxidative stress have been successively implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic pressure overload cardiac diseases. Therefore, we aim to clarify the myocardial energetic dysregulation in (reverse) remodeling, mainly focusing on the mitochondria.