Cardiac diastolic and autonomic dysfunction are aggravated by central chemoreflex activation in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction rats.

Key Points: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is associated with disordered breathing patterns, and sympatho-vagal imbalance. Although it is well accepted that altered peripheral chemoreflex control plays a role in the progression of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying deterioration of cardiac function in HFpEF are poorly understood. We found that central chemoreflex is enhanced in HFpEF and neuronal activation is increased in pre-sympathetic regions of the brainstem.

[Considerations on the new Chilean law about rights and duties of patients].

After years of discussion by the Chilean legislature, the Law Nº 20.584, which regulates health care related rights and duties of people, entered into force in Chile in October 2012. This bill represents an important step in the recognition and protection of health care related rights, welfare, dignity and duties of persons.

[What is the utility of proton pump inhibitor testing in non-cardiac chest pain?].

Background And Aims: Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) often represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Given that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common cause of NCCP, initial treatment with proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) has been proposed for all patients (PPI testing), reserving esophageal function testing solely for non-responders. The aim of the present study was to provide evidence on the clinical utility of PPI testing with high-dose pantoprazole in patients with NCCP.

Do benthic biofilters contribute to sustainability and restoration of the benthic environment impacted by offshore cage finfish aquaculture?

Benthic biofilters were deployed under a cage fish farm and in two reference locations to assess the influence of the farm on the biofilters and the surroundings, as well as to verify the usefulness of this technology as a mitigation tool. The biofilters underneath the farm recruited a fouling community practically identical to that of the control biofilters, which included a variety of trophic strategies. The former showed a higher 15N enrichment, indicating that fouling beneath the farm was benefiting from the farm waste.

Submaximal exercise testing plus atropine in myocardial perfusion SPECT.

Introduction And Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of using myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with intravenous atropine administration at the end of submaximal exercise testing.

Methods: One milligram of atropine was administered intravenously at the end of exercise testing to 172 patients who underwent a symptom-limited ergometric test but did not reach 80% of their peak heart rate without exhibiting angina or an ST-segment depression ≥1 mm. Within 1 week, 23 patients who satisfied scintigraphic criteria for ischemia during SPECT with atropine underwent SPECT for a second time without atropine administration with the aim of comparing the presence and severity of scintigraphic ischemia between the two studies (SDS: summed difference score).