Intravenous iron loading improved exercise capacity and symptoms in patients with CHF and evidence of abnormal iron metabolism. Benefits were more evident in anemic patients. (Effect of Intravenous Ferrous Sucrose on Exercise Capacity in Chronic Heart Failure; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00125996; NCT00125996).

Patients with AS have evidence of subclinical myocardial dysfunction early in the disease process despite normal LVEF. The myocardial dysfunction appeared to start in the subendocardium and progressed to transmural dysfunction with increasing AS severity. Symptomatic moderate and severe AS patients had more impaired multidirectional myocardial functions compared with asymptomatic patients.

In a large series of patients operated within the last decade, MVr resulted in a low incidence of long-term LV dysfunction. A GLS of >-19.9% demonstrated to be a major independent predictor of long-term LV dysfunction after adjustment for parameters currently implemented into guidelines.

Herein we present the preparation and characterization of three new bispyrazolyl-based energetic compounds with great potential as explosive materials. The reaction of sodium 4-amino-3,5-dinitropyrazolate (5) with dimethyl iodide yielded bis(4-amino-3,5-dinitropyrazolyl)methane (6), which is a secondary explosive with high heat resistance (T =310 °C). The oxidation of this compound afforded bis(3,4,5-trinitropyrazolyl)methane (7), which is a combined nitrogen- and oxygen-rich secondary explosive with very high theoretical and estimated experimental detonation performance (V (theor)=9304 m s versus V (exp)=9910 m s ) in the range of that of CL-20. Also, the thermal stability (T =205 °C) and sensitivities of 7 are auspicious. The reaction of 6 with in situ generated nitrous acid yielded the primary explosive bis(4-diazo-5-nitro-3-oxopyrazolyl)methane (8), which showed superior properties to those of currently used diazodinitrophenol (DDNP).

The novel, thermally stable explosive 5,5'-bis(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-2,2'-bi(1,3,4-oxadiazole) (TKX-55) is reported.T his compound can be prepared by means of af acile synthetic procedure and shows outstanding properties (detonation velocity, detonation pressure, sensitivity toward mechanical stimuli, and temperature of decomposition). TKX-55w as isolated and characterized by means of mass spectrometry,m ultinuclear ( 1 H, 13 C) NMR spectroscopy,a nd vibrational spectroscopy (IR and Raman). The structure in the crystalline state was determined by low-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction. From the calculated standard molar enthalpy of formation (CBS-4M) and the densities, the Chapman-Jouguet detonation properties were predicted by using the EXPLO5V 6.01 thermochemical computer code. The sensitivity of TKX-55 towards impact, friction, and electrostatic discharge was determined. Theshock reactivity (explosiveness) of TKX-55 was measuredb ya pplying the small-scale shock reactivity test.

Unilateral transvenous phrenic nerve stimulation significantly reduces episodes of CSA and restores a more natural breathing pattern in patients with heart failure. This approach may represent a novel therapy for CSA and warrants further study.

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Multidirectional LV strain was more impaired in symptomatic than in asymptomatic patients with moderate-to-severe or severe AR, despite preserved LVEF. In asymptomatic AR patients, longitudinal and circumferential strains identified patients who would require surgery during follow-up.