The HS-1 associated protein X-1 (HAX-1) is a ubiquitously expressed protein that protects cardiomyocytes from programmed cell death. Here we identify HAX-1 as a regulator of contractility and calcium cycling in the heart. HAX-1 overexpression reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA2) pump activity in isolated cardiomyocytes and in vivo, leading to depressed myocyte calcium kinetics and ...

The role of thyroid hormone on the heart in terms of contractility, induction of growth, and selective synthesis of cardiac isomyosins was studied. After transplanting rat hearts from inbred hypothyroid donors into the abdomen of hypothyroid recipients of the same strain, two hearts were obtained in the same animal, both having reduced heart rate (200-250 bpm), decreased maximum rate of force, ...

Limited data are available concerning left ventricular contractility and contractile reserve in the chronically denervated, transplanted human heart. This is primarily because of the inability of traditional tests of left ventricular performance to distinguish changes in contractility from alterations in ventricular loading conditions. In this study, load-independent end-systolic indexes of lef...

OBJECTIVE Aim was to assess whether lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced decrease of total peripheral resistance depends on Toll-like receptor (TLR)4 signaling and whether it is sensitive to NO-synthase or TLR4 antagonists. METHODS AND RESULTS C3H/HeN mice (control), expressing a functional, and C3H/HeJ mice, expressing a nonfunctional TLR4, were compared. LPS (20 mg/kg) was injected i.p. 6 hours...

Abstract Introduction Cardiac Contractility Modulation is a therapy for chronic Heart Failure patients with EF 25-45% in sinus rhythm QRS < 130 ms clinically symptomatic (NYHA Class > II) despite optimised medical therapy. It made possible by the implantation of OPTIMIZER SMART® device. The CCM works delivering non-excitatory high-energy bipolar signal, synchronised local electric...

Hypertonic saline solution can absorb part of the intracellular fluid volume into the extracellular space. The effects of this solution on the cardiovascular system are increased coronary flow and increased left ventricular contraction, without sympathetic system activation. This study was designed to assess the effects of hypertonic saline solution in open heart surgery and to compare it w...

Maximum left ventricular systolic pressure response to aortic constriction served as a measure of myocardial contractility in anesthetized euthyroid and hyperthyroid guinea pigs. This response in hyperthyroid guinea pigs (155.4 ± 1.40 mm Hg) was significantly greater than in euthyroid animals (147.3 ± 1.33 mm Hg) (P<.001) and developed at a lower end-diastolic pressure in hyperthyroid (11.27 ±0...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of our investigation was to examine serial changes in autonomic nervous system activity along with measurements of hemodynamics and cardiac contractility, in assessing the mechanism(s) that underlie neurally mediated cardiac syncope (NMCS) in children. BACKGROUND Previous research that used heart rate variability analysis alone to understand changes in autonomic activit...