Background: The gut microbiota in patients with chronic heart failure (HF) is characterized by low bacterial diversity and reduced ability to synthesize beneficial metabolites. These changes may facilitate leakage of whole bacteria or bacterial products from the gut into the bloodstream, which may activate the innate immune system and contribute to the low-grade inflammation seen in HF. In this ...

Background: It has been proposed that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a low-grade mucosal inflammatory disease. <p> <p>Objective: To characterize the intestinal inflammatory profile in IBS patients with or without fructose intolerance.<p> <p>Design: Patients referred to colonoscopy with IBS complaints were screened for participation. IBS patients diagnosed according to the Rome II criteria ...

ABSTRACT Background: Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) is a new and promising measure for evaluation of dynamic balance, but intra- and inter-rater reliability in individuals with stroke have not yet been examined. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the within raters’ (intra-rater) and between raters’ (inter-rater) reliability of the Mini-BESTest in adults with stroke. ...

Mitochondria sense both biochemical and energetic input in addition to communicating signals regarding the energetic state of the cell. Increasingly, these signaling organelles are recognized as key for regulating different cell functions. This review summarizes recent advances in mitochondrial communication in striated muscle, with specific focus on the processes by which mitochondria communicate ...

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) is a proteolytic enzyme implicated in motility, differentiation, and regeneration of skeletal muscle fibers through processing of extracellular substrates. Although MMP-2 has been found to be localized intracellularly in cardiomyocytes where the enzyme is thought to contribute to post-ischemic loss of contractility, little is known about intracellular MMP-2 activity ...

<p>PURPOSE: To assess intraoperative stromal topography measurements using swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT)–based topography/tomography after epithelial removal and to analyze the epithelial contribution to the corneal topography and optics. <p>METHODS: This was a prospective series of 22 eyes of 19 patients referred to receive phototherapeutic keratotomy (PTK) for treatment of ...

A bronchopleural fistula (BF) is a life-threatening complication. Optimal management of a BF is still debated although surgery remains the preferred treatment. Usually, the fistula is a result of inadequate healing at the bronchial stump after pneumonectomy. Successful closure of a BF after pneumonectomy depends on evacuation of empyema, coverage of the suture line after fistula closure with ...

<b><p>Background</b> About one in five strokes occur during sleep (wake-up stroke). People with wake-up strokes have previously been considered to be ineligiblefor thrombolytic treatment because the time of stroke onset is unknown. However, recent studies suggest benefit from recanalisationtherapies in selected patients. <b><p>Objectives</b> To assess the effects of intravenous thrombolysis ...

This randomized within‐subjects crossover‐designed study evaluated intra‐arterial blood pressure (BP) traits in seven healthy males (24 ± 1 years) during heavy resistance exercise (HRE) to failure (10 × 5 repetitions, 5RES) and not to failure (10 × 3 repetitions, 3RES), both at 5RM load. By combining few repetitions, avoidance of Valsalva maneuver, and restricting the duration of each contraction, ...