Pharmacological modulation of autophagy to protect cardiomyocytes according to the time windows of ischaemia/reperfusion.

Background And Purpose: Targeted modulation of autophagy induced by myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion has been the subject of intensive investigation, but it is debatable whether autophagy is beneficial or harmful. Hence, we evaluated the effects of pharmacological manipulation of autophagy on the survival of cardiomyocytes in different time windows of ischaemia/reperfusion.

Experimental Approach: We examined the autophagy and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes subjected to different durations of anoxia/re-oxygenation or ischaemia/reperfusion, and evaluated the effects of the autophagic enhancer rapamycin and inhibitor wortmannin on cell survival.

Effects of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in patients with preserved ejection fraction: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Background: Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) have been shown to be effective in patients with heart failure or myocardial infarction complicated by a reduced ejection fraction. However, the role of MRAs in patients with preserved ejection fraction (PEF) remains to be clarified. We aimed to summarize the evidence for the efficacy of MRAs in patients with either heart failure with PEF (HF-PEF) or myocardial infarction with PEF (MI-PEF).

Heterogeneity of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in adult human brain.

Objective: Remyelination in multiple sclerosis has been attributed to the presence of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) in brain parenchyma. However, the precise identity of these progenitors is poorly defined. Here, we characterized populations of OPCs in the adult human brain and examined their myelination capacity and profile of miRNAs.

Bright subcycle extreme ultraviolet bursts from a single dense relativistic electron sheet.

Double-foil targets separated by a low density plasma and irradiated by a petawatt-class laser are shown to be a copious source of coherent broadband radiation. Simulations show that a dense sheet of relativistic electrons is formed during the interaction of the laser with the tenuous plasma between the two foils. The coherent motion of the electron sheet as it transits the second foil results in strong broadband emission in the extreme ultraviolet, consistent with our experimental observations.

Overexpression of ankyrin repeat domain 1 enhances cardiomyocyte apoptosis by promoting p53 activation and mitochondrial dysfunction in rodents.

The Ankrd1 (ankyrin repeat domain 1) gene is known to be up-regulated in heart failure and acts as a co-activator of p53, modulating its transcriptional activity, but it remains inconclusive whether this gene promotes or inhibits cell apoptosis. In the present study, we attempted to investigate the role of Ankrd1 on AngII (angiotensin II)- or pressure-overload-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In the failing hearts of mice with pressure overload, the protein expression of Ankrd1-encoded CARP (cardiac ankyrin repeat protein) was significantly increased.

New bipolar host materials for realizing blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes with high efficiency at 1000 cd/m2.

New host molecules such as 9-(6-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)pyridin-3-yl)-6-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (pPCB2CZ) and 9-(6-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)pyridin-2-yl)-6-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (mPCB2CZ) were designed and synthesized for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). The glass transition temperatures of two host molecules were measured higher than 120 °C, and the identical triplet energies were determined to be 2.92 eV for both molecules.

A micrometer-sized ultrasound contrast agent with nanometer-scale polygonal patterning surfaces.

Purpose: To develop a smaller micro-sized bubble ultrasound contrast agent which composed of an insoluble, less-dense, self-assembled surfactant with a condensed crystallized nanometer-scale polygonal patterning surface.

Methods: The microbubble was prepared by high-shear mixing a mixture of sucrose esters, glucose sugar, and water. The coulter counter was used to measure the size and concentration of the microbubble.

Cytosolic CARP promotes angiotensin II- or pressure overload-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy through calcineurin accumulation.

The gene ankyrin repeat domain 1 (Ankrd1) is an enigmatic gene and may exert pleiotropic function dependent on its expression level, subcellular localization and even types of pathological stress, but it remains unclear how these factors influence the fate of cardiomyocytes. Here we attempted to investigate the role of CARP on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVCs), angiotensin II (Ang II) increased the expression of both calpain 1 and CARP, and also induced cytosolic translocation of CARP, which was abrogated by a calpain inhibitor.

Progressive disorganization of paranodal junctions and compact myelin due to loss of DCC expression by oligodendrocytes.

Paranodal axoglial junctions are critical for maintaining the segregation of axonal domains along myelinated axons; however, the proteins required to organize and maintain this structure are not fully understood. Netrin-1 and its receptor Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC) are proteins enriched at paranodes that are expressed by neurons and oligodendrocytes. To identify the specific function of DCC expressed by oligodendrocytes in vivo, we selectively eliminated DCC from mature myelinating oligodendrocytes using an inducible cre regulated by the proteolipid protein promoter.

A 3D sphere culture system containing functional polymers for large-scale human pluripotent stem cell production.

Utilizing human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in cell-based therapy and drug discovery requires large-scale cell production. However, scaling up conventional adherent cultures presents challenges of maintaining a uniform high quality at low cost. In this regard, suspension cultures are a viable alternative, because they are scalable and do not require adhesion surfaces.

Olmesartan prevents cardiac rupture in mice with myocardial infarction by modulating growth differentiation factor 15 and p53.

Background And Purpose: Cardiac rupture is a catastrophic complication that occurs after acute myocardial infarction (MI) and, at present, there are no effective pharmacological strategies for preventing this condition. Here we investigated the effect of the angiotensin II receptor blocker olmesartan (Olm) on post-infarct cardiac rupture and its underlying mechanisms of action.

Experimental Approach: C57Bl/6 mice with MI were treated with Olm, aldosterone (Aldo) or vehicle.

Impact of etiology on the outcomes in heart failure patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy: a meta-analysis.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been extensively demonstrated to benefit heart failure patients, but the role of underlying heart failure etiology in the outcomes was not consistently proven. This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether efficacy and effectiveness of CRT is affected by underlying heart failure etiology.

Methods And Results: Searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were conducted to identify RCTs and observational studies that reported clinical and functional outcomes of CRT in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) patients.

Dependence of laser-driven coherent synchrotron emission efficiency on pulse ellipticity and implications for polarization gating.

The polarization dependence of laser-driven coherent synchrotron emission transmitted through thin foils is investigated experimentally. The harmonic generation process is seen to be almost completely suppressed for circular polarization opening up the possibility of producing isolated attosecond pulses via polarization gating. Particle-in-cell simulations suggest that current laser pulses are capable of generating isolated attosecond pulses with high pulse energies.

Disruption of histamine H2 receptor slows heart failure progression through reducing myocardial apoptosis and fibrosis.

Histamine H2 receptor (H2R) blockade has been reported to be beneficial for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), but the mechanisms involved are not entirely clear. In the present study, we assessed the influences of H2R disruption on left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and the mechanisms involved in mitochondrial dysfunction and calcineurin-mediated myocardial fibrosis. H2R-knockout mice and their wild-type littermates were subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) or sham surgery.

Effects of beta-blockers on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a meta-analysis.

Background: Effects of beta-blockers on the prognosis of the heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remain controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the impact of beta-blockers on mortality and hospitalization in the patients with HFpEF.

Methods: A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases from 2005 to June 2013 was conducted.

Laser-driven three-stage heavy-ion acceleration from relativistic laser-plasma interaction.

A three-stage heavy ion acceleration scheme for generation of high-energy quasimonoenergetic heavy ion beams is investigated using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation and analytical modeling. The scheme is based on the interaction of an intense linearly polarized laser pulse with a compound two-layer target (a front heavy ion layer + a second light ion layer). We identify that, under appropriate conditions, the heavy ions preaccelerated by a two-stage acceleration process in the front layer can be injected into the light ion shock wave in the second layer for a further third-stage acceleration.

Structure-activity relationship study of permethyl ningalin B analogues as P-glycoprotein chemosensitizers.

A novel series of permethyl ningalin B analogues were synthesized and evaluated for their P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-modulating activities in a P-gp-overexpressing breast cancer cell line (LCC6MDR). Compounds 35 and 37, which possess one methoxy group and one benzyloxy group at aryl ring C, displayed the most potent P-gp-modulating activity. A 1 μM concentration of 35 and 37 resensitized LCC6MDR cells toward paclitaxel by 42.

Application of random forests to select premium quality vegetable oils by their fatty acid composition.

In order to discriminate premium quality from inexpensive edible oils, the fatty acid profiles of tea, rapeseed, corn, sunflower and sesame oil were compared with the ones from extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Fatty acid methyl esters were quantified by GC/MS. Principal component analysis (PCA) and random forests (RF) were applied to cluster the samples.

Pravastatin slows the progression of heart failure by inhibiting the c-Jun N-terminal kinase-mediated intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway.

Tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF-α) and c‑Jun N‑terminal kinases (JNKs) are known to be associated with apoptosis and are important in cardiac remodeling. It remains to be determined whether statins inhibit cardiac remodeling through interfering with TNF‑α‑JNK‑related signaling pathways. This study was designed to investigate the effect of pravastatin on the progression of hypertrophy to heart failure in transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and the associations with TNF‑α‑JNK signaling.

In vivo ultrasound molecular imaging of inflammatory thrombosis in arteries with cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-modified microbubbles targeted to glycoprotein IIb/IIIa.

Objective: Ultrasound molecular imaging has the potential to detect activated platelets, thus identifying atherosclerotic plaque instability before onset of serious clinical events. However, it has not been well defined in inflammatory arterial thrombosis. We hypothesized that microbubbles (MBs) target glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GP IIb/IIIa) could achieve a noninvasive in vivo detection of inflammatory thrombosis in large arteries through contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEU) imaging.

Full-length and fragmented netrin-1 in multiple sclerosis plaques are inhibitors of oligodendrocyte precursor cell migration.

Oligodendrocytes exhibit a limited capacity to remyelinate in multiple sclerosis. Factors present in multiple sclerosis lesions are thought to inhibit oligodendrocyte precursor cell migration, limiting their recruitment to axons requiring remyelination; however, few inhibitors have been identified. A candidate inhibitor is netrin-1, a secreted protein that repels migrating oligodendrocyte precursor cells during neural development and is expressed by myelinating oligodendrocytes in the mature rodent central nervous system.

Some 2S albumin from peanut seeds exhibits inhibitory activity against Aspergillus flavus.

A crude 2S albumin fraction was separated from peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cotyledons. Untreated 2S albumin had little inhibitory activity against trypsin, spore germination, or hyphal growth of Aspergillus flavus.

Histamine H2 receptor activation exacerbates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by disturbing mitochondrial and endothelial function.

There is evidence that H2R blockade improves ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, but the underlying cellular mechanisms remain unclear. Histamine is known to increase vascular permeability and induce apoptosis, and these effects are closely associated with endothelial and mitochondrial dysfunction, respectively. Here, we investigated whether activation of the histamine H2 receptor (H2R) exacerbates myocardial I/R injury by increasing mitochondrial and endothelial permeability.