According to the current guidelines, the indication for CRT is only based on QRS duration and functional class of heart failure. However, a

substantial amount of patients do not respond to therapy. In addition, CRT is accompanied β-Nicotinamide price by significant cost and potential morbidity. It is therefore vital to improve patient selection for CRT to improve patient outcome and minimize therapy-related complications. In this regard, cardiac sympathetic innervation may be of interest. This review addresses the currently available literature, 9 studies with a total number of 225 patients, on CRT and cardiac innervation scintigraphy with I-123-metaiodobenzylguanidine.”
“Hasek BE, Stewart LK, Henagan TM, Boudreau A, Lenard NR, Black C, Shin J, Huypens P, Malloy VL, Plaisance EP, Krajcik RA, Orentreich N, Gettys TW. Dietary methionine restriction enhances metabolic flexibility and increases uncoupled respiration in both fed and fasted states. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 299: R728-R739, 2010. First published June 10, 2010; doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00837.2009.-Dietary methionine restriction (MR) is a mimetic of chronic dietary restriction (DR) in the sense that MR increases rodent longevity,

but without food restriction. We report here that MR also persistently increases total energy expenditure (EE) and limits Selleck GSK690693 fat deposition despite increasing weight-specific food consumption. In Fischer 344 (F344) rats consuming control or MR diets for 3, 9, and 20 mo, mean EE was 1.5-fold higher in MR vs. control rats, primarily Staurosporine molecular weight due to higher EE during the night at all ages. The day-to-night transition produced a twofold higher heat increment of feeding (3.0 degrees C vs. 1.5 degrees C) in MR vs. controls and an exaggerated increase in respiratory quotient (RQ) to values greater than 1, indicative of the interconversion of glucose to lipid by de novo lipogenesis. The simultaneous inhibition of glucose utilization and shift to fat oxidation during the day was also more

complete in MR (RQ similar to 0.75) vs. controls (RQ similar to 0.85). Dietary MR produced a rapid and persistent increase in uncoupling protein 1 expression in brown (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) in conjunction with decreased leptin and increased adiponectin levels in serum, suggesting that remodeling of the metabolic and endocrine function of adipose tissue may have an important role in the overall increase in EE. We conclude that the hyperphagic response to dietary MR is matched to a coordinated increase in uncoupled respiration, suggesting the engagement of a nutrient-sensing mechanism, which compensates for limited methionine through integrated effects on energy homeostasis.”
“Pulmonary function measures reflect respiratory health and are used in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.