Effects of exercise training on diastolic and systolic dysfunction in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a complex syndrome characterized by a progressive reduction of the left ventricular (LV) contractility, low exercise tolerance, and increased mortality and morbidity. Diastolic dysfunction (DD) of the LV, is a keystone in the pathophysiology of CHF and plays a major role in the progression of most cardiac diseases. Also, it is well estimated that exercise training induces several beneficial effects on patients with CHF.

Giant malignant insulinoma.

Insulinomas are the most common pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Most insulinomas are benign, small, intrapancreatic solid tumors and only large tumors have a tendency for malignancy. Most patients present with symptoms of hypoglycemia that are relieved with the administration of glucose.

"True" duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy, with secure eversion of the enteric mucosa, in Whipple operation.

Background: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) due to anastomotic leak is often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to present an improved anastomotic technique for Whipple operation, which we call "true" duct-to-mucosa anastomosis (DMA)-pancreaticojejunostomy.

Methods: A novel enteric mucosal eversion at the point of the jejunostomy is constructed prior to the anastomosis with the pancreatic duct in order to enhance sealing.

MicroRNA profiling in murine liver after partial hepatectomy.

Liver is uniquely capable to repair itself after injury. Multiple molecular and biochemical processes initiated after partial hepatectomy, lead to proliferation of all cells within the liver. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of highly abundant non-coding RNA molecules that cause post-transcriptional gene repression and are involved in several biological processes including cell cycle regulation and differentiation.

Automated office blood pressure and 24-h ambulatory measurements are equally associated with left ventricular mass index.

Background: To determine whether automated office blood pressure (AOBP) readings are associated with left ventricular mass (LVM) index as closely as those of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and also to confirm that the values of the two methods are comparable in the appraisal of blood pressure in a European population referred for suspected hypertension.

Methods: In a sample of 90 individuals with office hypertension, we compared AOBP to awake systolic ABP measurements (ABPM) values and their associations with LVM indices, expressed as LVM divided by body surface area (LVMI(BSA)) and by height(2.7) (LVMI(H)).

Isolated right ventricular infarction presenting with ST-segment elevation in precordial leads V1-V3.

We describe a rare case of a patient presenting with ST-segment elevation in precordial leads V1-V3 due to occlusion of the ventricular branch of the right coronary artery during primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty.