The utilization and prognostic impact of B-type Natriuretic Peptide in hospitalized acute decompensated heart failure in an Asian population.

Background: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels during admission have been shown to have prognostic value in the diagnosis of heart failure and further predict the in-hospital mortality of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). This study describes the characteristics of BNP among hospitalized ADHF and elucidates its prognostic value of in-hospital mortality in an Asian population.

Methods: We consecutively studied patients aged 20+ who were discharged with a diagnosis of ADHF from March 2013 to March 2014 in a tertiary hospital of northern Taiwan by reviewing medical records.

Reduction of connexin43 in human endothelial progenitor cells impairs the angiogenic potential.

Our previous work showed that arsenic trioxide down-regulated Cx43 and attenuated the angiogenic potential of human late endothelial progenitor cells (EPC). However, the relation between Cx43 and angiogenic activity of the EPC remained unclear. In the study, human late EPC were treated with siRNA specific to Cx43 (Cx43siRNA).

Relation of carotid artery diameter with cardiac geometry and mechanics in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Background: Central artery dilation and remodeling are associated with higher heart failure and cardiovascular risks. However, data regarding carotid artery diameter from hypertension to heart failure have remained elusive. We sought to investigate this issue by examining the association between carotid artery diameter and surrogates of ventricular dysfunction.

The increase of VEGF secretion from endothelial progenitor cells post ultrasonic VEGF gene delivery enhances the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells.

We investigated the feasibility of exogenous gene expression in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) through the use of ultrasonic microbubble transfection (UMT). EPCs originating from porcine peripheral blood were cultured in a medium containing constructed vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pDNA followed by UMT. Simultaneously, comprehensive functional evaluations were conducted to investigate the effects of UMT of the VEGF gene on the EPCs.

Rare case of left-dominant arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy with dramatic reverse remodeling after cardiac resynchronization as an adjunct to pharmacological therapy.

A 57-year-old man presented with near syncope and hemodynamic compromise after exercise. A sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) of right bundle-branch block morphology was evident upon examination at our emergency department. Baseline 12-lead electrocardiography revealed a sinus rhythm with a complete left bundle-branch block after successful cardioversion of the VT.

The severity of Fatty liver disease relating to metabolic abnormalities independently predicts coronary calcification.

Background. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the metabolic disorders presented in liver. The relationship between severity of NAFLD and coronary atherosclerotic burden remains largely unknown.

Epicardial adipose tissue relating to anthropometrics, metabolic derangements and fatty liver disease independently contributes to serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein beyond body fat composition: a study validated with computed tomography.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) measured by echocardiography has been proposed to be associated with metabolic syndrome and increased cardiovascular risks. However, its independent association with fatty liver disease and systemic inflammation beyond clinical variables and body fat remains less well known.

Methods: The relationships between EAT and various factors of metabolic derangement were retrospectively examined in consecutive 359 asymptomatic subjects (mean age, 51.

Slow conduction and gap junction remodeling in murine ventricle after chronic alcohol ingestion.

Background: Long-term heavy alcohol drinkers are prone to the development of cardiac arrhythmia. To understand the mechanisms, we evaluated the cardiac structural and electrophysiological changes in mice chronically drinking excessive alcohol.

Results: Male C57BL/6J mice were given 36% alcohol in the drinking water.

Therapeutic angiogenesis of human early endothelial progenitor cells is enhanced by thrombomodulin.

Objective: We examined the effect of thrombomodulin (TM) domains 2 and 3 (TMD23) on human early endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs).

Methods And Results: TM was expressed and released by human EPCs cultured from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Addition of TMD23 (100 ng/mL) to the cultured PBMCs increased the colony-forming units, chemotactic motility, matrix metalloproteinase activity, and interleukin-8 secretion but decreased tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) release.

Effects of carbenoxolone on flow-mediated vasodilatation in healthy adults.

Gap junctions play a key role in maintaining the functional integrity of the vascular wall. Using carbenoxolone (CBX) as a gap junction blocker, we aimed to assess the contribution of gap junctions in the vascular wall to flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) in healthy adults. Percentage FMD (%FMD) and circulating vasoactive molecules/activity, including atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), aldosterone, cortisol, plasma renin activity (PRA), and endothelin (ET-1), were measured in 25 healthy volunteers (mean age: 30.

Fluorescent gold nanoclusters as a biocompatible marker for in vitro and in vivo tracking of endothelial cells.

We have been investigating the fluorescent property and biocompatibility of novel fluorescent gold nanoclusters (FANC) in human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC). FANC (50-1000 nmol/L) was delivered into cells via the liposome complex. The fluorescence lasted for at least 28 days with a half-life of 9 days in vitro.

Ultrasonic microbubble-mediated gene delivery causes phenotypic changes of human aortic endothelial cells.

Ultrasound, in combination with microbubbles, serves as a feasible nonviral method in vascular gene delivery. However, the effects of ultrasonic microbubble transfection (UMT) on vascular endothelial cells remained unclear. We therefore investigated whether UMT itself causes phenotypic changes of the human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) in vitro.

C-reactive protein, sodium azide, and endothelial connexin43 gap junctions.

We investigated the effect of C-reactive protein (CRP) and sodium azide (NaN(3)) on endothelial Cx43 gap junctions. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) were treated with (a) detoxified CRP, (b) detoxified dialyzed CRP, (c) detoxified dialyzed CRP plus NaN(3), (d) NaN(3), or (e) dialyzed NaN(3). The concentration of CRP in all preparations was fixed to 25 microg/ml and that of NaN(3) in the preparations of (c) to (e) was equivalent to that contained in the 25 microg/ml CRP purchased commercially.

Endothelial connexins are down-regulated by atherogenic factors.

Connexins are single polypeptides that assemble to form paired connexon hexamers participating in gap-junctional intercellular communication. In addition, unpaired connexons at cell membrane also act as channels connecting cytosols and extracellular space. These channels' properties plus other unique functions of connexins give the molecules significant roles in endothelial cells, which mainly express connexin43 (Cx43), Cx40, and Cx37.

Activation of endothelial cells to pathological status by down-regulation of connexin43.

Aims: We investigated the effects of connexin43 (Cx43) down-regulation on endothelial function.

Methods And Results: We used two different sequences of Cx43-specific small interference RNA (siRNA) to reduce de novo synthesis of Cx43 in human aortic endothelial cells and then examined the expression profiles, proliferation activity and viability, and angiogenic potential. The involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathways was analysed.

Diabetes reduces aortic endothelial gap junctions in ApoE-deficient mice: simvastatin exacerbates the reduction.

We examined the endothelial gap junctions in diabetic hyperlipidemic mice. Male apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice were made diabetic by streptozotocin. Three weeks later, the animals were treated with simvastatin for 2 weeks.

High triglyceride level is associated with severe coronary artery disease in hypertensive subjects.

Background: The contribution of triglycerides (TG) to the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) in hypertensive patients remained unclear.

Methods: Consecutive 821 (aged 64.5+/-11.

Aortic dissection in the elderly.

To analyze the characteristics of aortic dissection in the elderly, we reviewed 168 cases from January 1999 to September 2005 in a medical center in Taiwan. Fifty-six cases were suitable for enrollment in our study. Of these, 44 (79%) were male and 12 (21%) were female; ages ranged from 29 to 92 years, with a mean of 61 +/- 11.

Endothelial gap junctions are down-regulated by arsenic trioxide.

We investigated the effect of As(2)O(3), an anti-cancer drug, on endothelial gap junctions. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) were treated with As(2)O(3) at 1, 10, 100, and 1000 ng/ml and the cells were examined to evaluate the expression of connexin43 (Cx43) and to assess gap-junction communication. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured to assess for endothelial dysfunction.

Silent and huge left ventricular pseudoaneurysm with left atrial compression: dedicated spatial resolution and geometry by 3-dimensional echocardiography.

An 83-year-old man with acute inferior wall myocardial infarction underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention for right coronary artery. Subsequent echocardiography 3 days later showed an incidental huge cardiac chamber compressing left atrium. The chamber was found to have a narrow neck connecting with left ventricle, suggestive of a pseudoaneurysm.

Comparison of clinical characteristics of acute myocardial infarction in aborigines and nonaborigines in Taitung area of Taiwan.

This study aims to examine the correlation between acute myocardial infarction and various risk factors in eastern Taiwan as well as compare the manifestations of this serious disorder in nonaborigine and aborigine populations in the region. We collected 440 consecutive patients (308 nonaborigines and 132 aborigines) who were diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at the Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taitung Branch, between the years 1994 and 2001. Analysis showed that AMI was more prevalent in nonaborigines than in aborigines (0.

Remodeling of myocardial sleeve and gap junctions in canine superior vena cava after rapid pacing.

Objective: We studied the response of the superior vena cava (SVC) myocardial sleeve to atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods And Results: We examined adult male dogs without pacing (N=6) and after rapid atrial pacing (600 bpm) for 2 weeks (P2w; N=5) and 6-8 weeks (P6-8w; N=5). After pacing, the sleeve was increased in thickness (non-paced vs.

Brain natriuretic peptide and C-type natriuretic peptide are differently regulated by age but similarly elevated in coronary artery disease.

Objective: We investigated the effect of age and coronary angioplasty on brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP).

Methods And Results: Serum levels of both peptides immediately before catheterization and at the end of angioplasty in 15 patients (age 68 +/- 8 years, 8 men) with coronary artery disease (CAD) were compared to 12 elderly (65 +/- 7 years, 8 men) and 16 non-elderly (34 +/- 7 years, 10 men) healthy individuals. The results showed that in healthy individuals the levels of both peptides are age-dependent dissimilarly.

Reduced expression of endothelial connexins 43 and 37 in hypertensive rats is rectified after 7-day carvedilol treatment.

Background: The aim of this study was to clarify the response of endothelial connexins to hypertension and antihypertensive drugs.

Methods: Rats remained normotensive (group 1, N = 10) or were made hypertensive using N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (groups 2 to 4, N = 10/group). Seven weeks later groups 3 and 4 were respectively fed atenolol or carvedilol daily for 7 days and the aortic endothelial gap junctions were analyzed.

Overweight and obesity-related metabolic disorders in hospital employees.

Background: Obesity is associated with metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the relationship between overweight and obese status and the incidence of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and hyperuricemia.

Methods: This prospective cohort study comprised 1749 hospital employees who received baseline health check-ups in 1993.