Inhibition of bone morphogenetic protein 4 alleviates angiotensin II-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm by reducing inflammation and endothelial-mesenchymal transition.

Background And Aims: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is one of the most common fatal macrovascular diseases worldwide which pathogenesis is still not well clarified. In this study, we systematically investigated the alternations of endothelial cell (ECs) functions and phenotypes by single-cell RNA sequencing in angiotensin (Ang) II-induced AAA mice models.

Method And Results: According to 10 × single-cell sequencing analysis, we revealed that ECs inflammation and endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) were involved in the progress of Ang II-induced AAA.

Engineering high-frequency apomixis with normal seed production in hybrid rice.

Clonal reproduction through seeds, also termed apomixis, has the potential to revolutionize agriculture by allowing hybrid crops to be clonally propagated. Although apomixis has been introduced into rice through engineering in recent years, the poor fertility and low-frequency clonal reproduction of synthetic apomicts hinder the application of apomixis in crop breeding. Here, in elite hybrid rice, we generated many apomicts, which produced clonal progeny with frequencies of > 95.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Computational Fluid Dynamics-Based Fractional Flow Reserve Derived From Coronary Angiography: The ACCURATE Study.

Background: Although fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the contemporary standard to detect hemodynamically significant coronary stenosis, it remains underused for the need of pressure wire and hyperemic stimulus. Coronary angiography-derived FFR could break through these barriers. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and performance of a novel diagnostic modality deriving FFR from invasive coronary angiography (AccuFFRangio) for coronary physiological assessment.

Risk factor control and adherence to recommended Lifestyle among US hypertension patients.

Background: Although hypertension is a significant public health challenge globally, only a few studies have assessed the effectiveness of risk factor control and adherence to recommended lifestyle among United States hypertension patients.

Methods: In this study, a detailed, stratified analysis of the 1999-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was conducted to assess the adequacy of risk factor control and conformity to recommended lifestyle among United States patients with hypertension. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify influencing factors associated with not acheving risk factors and lifestyle targets.

A Multi-Feature Fusion Method for Life Prediction of Automotive Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Based on TCN-GRU.

The Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is a fast-developing battery technology, and the key to its reliability and lifespan improvement lies in the accurate assessment of durability. However, the degradation mechanism of the PEMFC is hard to determine and its internal parameters are highly coupled. Thus, the development of a more accurate life prediction model that meets the actual scenarios is to be investigated urgently.

Increased Expression of Mevalonate Pathway-Related Enzymes in Angiotensin II-Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is characterized by permanent luminal expansion and a high mortality rate due to aortic rupture. Despite the identification of abnormalities in the mevalonate pathway (MVA) in many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, the potential impact of this pathway on AAA remains unclear. This study aims to investigate whether the expression of the MVA-related enzyme is altered during the progression of angiotensin II (Ang II) -induced AAA.

The secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in US adults 75 Years and older in daily practice: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2018 survey.

Background: Pharmacologic therapies, risk factor control, and lifestyle alterations were independently proven to reduce long-term cardiovascular events. However, comprehensive research examining the extent to which individuals aged 75 and above in the United States adhere to national guidelines for the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease is limited. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to examine the current state of secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in persons 75 years of age and older in the United States and to examine the factors that contribute to inadequate drug utilization and poor control of numerous risk factors.

Morphologically transformable peptide nanocarriers coloaded with doxorubicin and curcumin inhibit the growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

In tumor treatment, the highly disordered vascular system and lack of accumulation of chemotherapeutic drugs in tumors severely limit the therapeutic role of nanocarriers. Smaller drug-containing nanoparticles (NPs) can better penetrate the tumor but are easily removed, which severely limits the tumor-killing properties of the drug. The chemotherapeutic medication doxorubicin (DOX) is highly toxic to the heart, but this toxicity can be effectively mitigated and the combined anticancer effect can be enhanced by clinically incorporating curcumin (CUR) as part of the dual therapy.

Cardiac remodeling on echocardiogram is related to contrast-associated acute kidney injury after coronary angiography: a cross-section study.

Background: Cardiac dysfunction is a well-established risk factor for contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI). Nevertheless, the relationship between cardiac remodeling, as assessed by echocardiography, and CA-AKI remains uncertain.

Method: A total of 3,241 patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) with/without percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were enrolled in this retrospective study.

Calculation of left ventricular ejection fraction using an 8-layer residual U-Net with deep supervision based on cardiac CT angiography images versus echocardiography: a comparative study.

Background: Accurate segmentation of the left ventricle (LV) is an important step in assessing cardiac function. Cardiac CT angiography (CCTA) has become an important means of clinical diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) because of its advantages of non-invasive, short examination time and low cost. In order to obtain the segmentation of LV in CCTA scans, we propose a deep learning method based on 8-layer residual U-Net with deep supervision.

Erythrocyte parameters, anemia conditions, and sex differences are associated with the incidence of contrast-associated acute kidney injury after coronary angiography.

Objective: Contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) is a critical complication when applying contrast medium, and the risk factors of CA-AKI have not been fully clarified. This study aimed to explore the relationships of CA-AKI with erythrocyte parameters, anemia conditions, and sex differences in patients after coronary angiography (CAG).

Methods: In this retrospective study, 4,269 patients who underwent CAG were enrolled.

L-type lectin receptor-like kinase OsCORK1 as an important negative regulator confers copper stress tolerance in rice.

Copper (Cu) is vital for plant growth but becomes toxic in excess, posing potential threats to human health. Although receptor-like kinases (RLKs) have been studied in plant response to abiotic stresses, their roles in Cu stress response remain poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate Cu toxicity effects on rice and elucidate its potential molecular mechanisms.

Accuracy of intravascular ultrasound-derived virtual fractional flow reserve (FFR) and FFR derived from computed tomography for functional assessment of coronary artery disease.

Background: Coronary computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) and intravascular ultrasound-derived fractional flow reserve (IVUS-FFR) are two functional assessment methods for coronary stenoses. However, the calculation algorithms for these methods differ significantly. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of CT-FFR and IVUS-FFR using invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) as the reference standard.

Diagnostic performance of computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based fractional flow reserve (FFR) derived from coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) for assessing functional severity of coronary lesions.

Background: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the gatekeeper for lesion-specific revascularization decision-making in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). The potential of noninvasive calculation of FFR from coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) to identify ischemia-causing lesions has not been sufficiently assessed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of a novel computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based technology, termed as AccuFFRct, for the diagnosis of functionally significant lesions from CCTA, using wire-based FFR as a reference standard.

Closing gaps in medication taking for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease patients among US adults.

Background: The secondary preventive medical remedies used in the U.S. general population, particularly those with numerous co-morbidities, are poorly understood.

Inhibition of farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase alleviates cardiomyopathy in diabetic rat.

This study investigated the effects of ibandronate (IBN) on cardiomyopathy remodeling in diabetic rats. A rat model of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) was established by supplementing them with a high-calorie diet combined with a low dose of streptozotocin (STZ). The diabetic rats received IBN (5 µg/kg per day) or normal saline subcutaneously for 16 weeks.

Sex differences in the association between visceral adipose tissue and atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes patients with normal bodyweight: A study in a Chinese population.

Aims/introduction: To investigate the impact of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) on atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes patients with normal bodyweight (OB[-]) in the Chinese population, and to further assess the sex-age differences between them.

Materials And Methods: A total of 8,839 type 2 diabetes patients from two of the National Metabolic Management Centers in China were included in this study. Participants were classified into four groups by visceral fat area (VFA; cm ) and body mass index (BMI; kg/m ): VFA < 100 and BMI < 23.

Platelet TGF-β1 inhibits the migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells in aneurysms.

Background: The study explored the role of platelet TGF-β1 from the perspective of inhibiting the excessive proliferation, migration and invasion of murine aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (MASMCs).

Method: The platelets were first extracted from C57BL/6 mice, and the TGF-β1 protein was obtained after the purification of protein. In vitro, the concentrations of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) and TGF-β1 for intervention were screened by testing the viability of MASMCs, followed by the analysis concerning the effects of platelets, Ang Ⅱ and TGF-β1 on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and the expressions of pathway-related proteins in MASMCs.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Technology Revealed the Pivotal Role of Fibroblast Heterogeneity in Angiotensin II-Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

The mechanism of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to map the cellular heterogeneity, molecular alteration, and functional transformation of angiotensin (Ang) II-induced AAA in mice based on single-cell RNA sequencing (sc-RNA seq) technology. sc-RNA seq was performed on suprarenal abdominal aorta tissue from male C57BL/6 mice of Ang II-induced AAA and shame models to determine the heterogeneity and phenotypic transformation of all cells.

Diagnostic performance of deep learning and computational fluid dynamics-based instantaneous wave-free ratio derived from computed tomography angiography.

Background And Objectives: Both fractional flow reserve (FFR) and instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) are widely used to evaluate ischemia-causing coronary lesions. A new method of CT-iFR, namely AccuiFRct, for calculating iFR based on deep learning and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has been proposed. In this study, the diagnostic performance of AccuiFRct was thoroughly assessed using iFR as the reference standard.

Diagnostic performance of AccuFFRangio in the functional assessment of coronary stenosis compared with pressure wire-derived fractional flow reserve.

Background: Non-invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) has been increasingly used in the clinical workflow to assist clinical decision-making for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This clinical study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of coronary stenosis assessed by a non-invasive FFR analysis method (termed AccuFFRangio) based on invasive coronary angiography (ICA). It is a blinded, self-controlled, retrospective, and dual-center clinical investigation study.

Prediction of the Interface Shear Strength between Ultra-High-Performance Concrete and Normal Concrete Using Artificial Neural Networks.

The bond strength between ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) and normal-strength concrete (NC) plays an important role in governing the composite specimens' overall behaviors. Unfortunately, there are still no widely accepted formulas targeting UHPC-NC interfacial strength, either in their specifications or in research papers. To this end, this study constructs an experimental database, consisting of 563 and 338 specimens for splitting and slant shear tests, respectively.