UNLABELLED We hypothesize that the efficacy of doxorubicin (DOX) can be maximized and dose-limiting cardiotoxicity minimized by controlled release from PEGylated nanoparticles. To test this hypothesis, a unique surface modification technique was used to create PEGylated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles encapsulating DOX. An avidin-biotin coupling system was used to control pol...

This study was conducted to validate echocardiography in chickens, and to compare cardiac structure and function between broiler and Leghorn chickens. Diameters of the right and left ventricles, and thicknesses of the left ventricular free wall and the interventricular septum were measured echocardiographically in 5- and 7-wk-old chickens from both lines. Images were obtained from minimally res...

Echocardiographic and hemodynamic studies were obtained in 42 consecutive patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for isolated aortic stenosis. Concentric left ventricular (LV) wall thickening, the most common preoperative abnormality, occurred in 95% of patients. LV dilation with reduced fractional shortening was noted in approximately 25% of patients but was severe in only one patient. S...

BACKGROUND Currently there is no reliable medical treatment for aortic regurgitation (AR). METHODS Thirty-nine Sprague-Dawley rats underwent creation of AR or sham operation. Treated rats were assigned to early or late institution of sildenafil therapy (100 mg/kg/day) for a total of 10 weeks. Treatment-effects were measured by serial echocardiography, invasive hemodynamic measurements, and ti...

BACKGROUND Despite considerable mortality, population-based prognostic factors for childhood dilated cardiomyopathy are lacking. METHODS AND RESULTS A population-based cohort study was undertaken of all children in Australia who presented with cardiomyopathy at age 0 to 10 years between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 1996. A single cardiologist analyzed all cardiac investigations, and a si...

Histological changes in the stunned myocardium are believed to be minimal. This study examined whether cytoskeletal structures of microtubules are disrupted in the stunned myocardium. In 38 dogs, the left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 15 minutes and reperfused to produce the stunned myocardium. Microtubules were stained immunohistochemically. In intact myocardium, microtu...

PURPOSE The aims of this study were to document our single-center experience with pediatric acute fulminant myocarditis (AFM) and to investigate its clinical features and short-term outcomes. METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review of all children <18 years old who were diagnosed with AFM between October 2008 and February 2013. Data about patient demographics, initial symptoms, inve...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIδ (CaMKIIδ) is an important regulator of cardiac contractile function and dysfunction and may be an unwanted secondary target for anti-cancer drugs such as sunitinib and imatinib that have been reported to alter cardiac performance. This study aimed to determine whether anti-cancer kinase inhibitors may affect CaMKII activity ...

There is still controversy about the relation between changes in myocardial contractile function and global left ventricular (LV) performance during stable concentric hypertrophy. To clarify this, we analyzed LV function in vivo and myocardial mechanics in vitro in rats with pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Male Wistar rats (70 g) underwent ascending aortic stenosis for 8 weeks (g...

BACKGROUND Glucose intolerance is a major health problem and is associated with increased risk of progression to type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. However, whether glucose intolerance is related to impaired myocardial perfusion is not known. The purpose of the present study was to study the effect of diet-induced glucose intolerance on myocardial function and perfusion during...