Getting to the heart of cardiac remodeling; how collagen subtypes may contribute to phenotype.

The objective of this study was to investigate the nature and biomechanical properties of collagen fibers within the human myocardium. Targeting cardiac interstitial abnormalities will likely become a major focus of future preventative strategies with regard to the management of cardiac dysfunction. Current knowledge regarding the component structures of myocardial collagen networks is limited, further delineation of which will require application of more innovative technologies. We applied a novel methodology involving combined confocal laser scanning and atomic force microscopy to investigate myocardial collagen within ex-vivo right atrial tissue from 10 patients undergoing elective coronary bypass surgery. Immuno-fluorescent co-staining revealed discrete collagen I and III fibers. During single fiber deformation, overall median values of stiffness recorded in collagen III were 37±16% lower than in collagen I [p<0.001]. On fiber retraction, collagen I exhibited greater degrees of elastic recoil [p<0.001; relative percentage increase in elastic recoil 7±3%] and less energy dissipation than collagen III [p<0.001; relative percentage increase in work recovered 7±2%]. In atrial biopsies taken from patients in permanent atrial fibrillation (n=5) versus sinus rhythm (n=5), stiffness of both collagen fiber subtypes was augmented (p<0.008). Myocardial fibrillar collagen fibers organize in a discrete manner and possess distinct biomechanical differences; specifically, collagen I fibers exhibit relatively higher stiffness, contrasting with higher susceptibility to plastic deformation and less energy efficiency on deformation with collagen III fibers. Augmented stiffness of both collagen fiber subtypes in tissue samples from patients with atrial fibrillation compared to those in sinus rhythm are consistent with recent published findings of increased collagen cross-linking in this setting.

Physicochemical characterization of diclofenac N-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine: anhydrate and dihydrate crystalline forms.

This study on diclofenac N-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine (DHEP) characterizes and compares the anhydrate (DHEPA) and dihydrate (DHEPH) solid state forms using powder X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopic, and thermal analyses. Heats of solution and intrinsic dissolution rates are determined. The thermodynamics of hydration are discussed and the entropic cost of dihydrate formation is calculated. Reported differences in the solution behavior of DHEP crystallized from different solvents are explained. The molecular structures of both solid forms were determined and are presented. Crystal data for DHEPA: triclinic, space group P-1 (No 2), a = 11.662(2) A, b = 11.874(2) A, c = 15.296(3) A, alpha = 76.183(14) degrees, beta = 84.575(12) degrees, gamma = 87.028(12) degrees V = 2046.8(6)A3, Z = 4. Crystal data for DHEPH: triclinic, space group P-1 (No 2), a = 9.356(3) A, b = 9.920(2) A, c = 13.5413(12) A, alpha = 69.915(12) degrees, beta = 82.05(2) degrees, gamma = 71.51(2) degrees, V = 1118.9(4) A3, Z = 2. The experimentally observed ease of dehydration under conditions of nitrogen purge is explained in terms of crystal packing within the dihydrate.