Clinical Feasibility of Biofunctionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles for Detecting Multiple Cardiac Biomarkers in Emergency Chest Pain Patients.

Background: The rapid diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a clinical and operational priority in emergency departments. Serial serum levels of cardiac biomarkers play a crucial role in the evaluation of patients presenting with acute chest pain, so that an accurate and rapidly responsive assay of cardiac biomarkers is vital for emergency departments.

Methods: Immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) has been developed for rapid and on-site assays with a small sample volume.

Cassegrain-based concentrator with tailored mirrors.

In this study, we design a Cassegrain-based concentrator with tailored mirrors. The proposed concentrator comprises a primary optical element (POE) and a secondary optical element (SOE). The POE is a parabolic concave mirror and the SOE is a hyperbolic convex mirror.

Association of Plasma Thrombospondin-1 Level with Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is known to be involved in the regulation of angiogenesis, inflammation, and vascular function. Clinical studies have demonstrated its correlation with peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease, and pulmonary hypertension. In this study, we explored its potential roles in the background of end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Serum Angiopoietin-Like Protein 2 Concentrations Are Independently Associated with Heart Failure.

Objective: Angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2), which is mainly expressed from adipose tissue, is demonstrated to be involved in obesity, metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerosis. Because several adipocytokines are known to be associated with heart failure (HF), here we investigated the association of ANGPTL2 and HF in Taiwanese subjects.

Methods And Results: A total of 170 symptomatic HF patients and 130 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled from clinic.

Association of lower extremity arterial calcification with amputation and mortality in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease.

Objective: The clinical implication of the coronary artery calcium score (CS) is well demonstrated. However, little is known about the association between lower extremity arterial calcification and clinical outcomes.

Methods And Results: Eighty-two patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (age 61.

Association between serum adipocyte fatty-acid binding protein concentrations, left ventricular function and myocardial perfusion abnormalities in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Adipokines, including adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), have been demonstrated to be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In the present study, we investigated the association of circulating A-FABP level with severity of myocardial perfusion abnormalities analyzed by Tl-201 dipyridamole single-photon emission computed tomography.

Methods: A total of 170 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) from cardiovascular clinics were enrolled in the study.

Serum adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein levels in patients with critical illness are associated with insulin resistance and predict mortality.

Introduction: Hyperglycemia and insulin resistance are commonplace in critical illness, especially in patients with sepsis. Recently, several hormones secreted by adipose tissue have been determined to be involved in overall insulin sensitivity in metabolic syndrome-related conditions, including adipocyte fatty-acid binding protein (A-FABP). However, little is known about their roles in critical illness.

The effects of 3-month atorvastatin therapy on arterial inflammation, calcification, abdominal adipose tissue and circulating biomarkers.

Purpose: (18)F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT has the potential to track vascular inflammation and monitor therapeutic response. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between arterial inflammation, calcification and serological biomarkers in subjects with atherosclerosis, and to assess their therapeutic response to 12-week atorvastatin treatment.

Methods: Forty-three statin-naïve subjects with atherosclerosis received atorvastatin (40 mg/day) for 12 weeks and underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT, coronary calcification and abdominal adipose tissue volume measurements.

The application of infrared thermography in evaluation of patients at high risk for lower extremity peripheral arterial disease.

Objective: We investigated the usefulness of infrared thermography in evaluating patients at high risk for lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD), including severity, functional capacity, and quality of life.

Methods: A total of 51 patients (23 males; age 70 ± 9.8 years) were recruited.

Continuous intravenous infusion of prostaglandin E1 improves myocardial perfusion reserve in patients with ischemic heart disease assessed by positron emission tomography: a pilot study.

Objective: Recent investigation has demonstrated that prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)) therapy increased capillary density in explanted hearts. Dynamic (13)N-ammonia positron emission tomography (PET) is reliable for non-invasive measurement of myocardial blood flow and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PGE(1) therapy during 4 weeks on reduction of myocardial perfusion abnormalities and increase of MPR in the patients with ischemic heart disease.

Endovascular management of post-traumatic innominate artery transection with pseudo-aneurysm formation.

Although catheter-based endovascular techniques have been used with increasing frequency for the management of vascular trauma, reports about innominate artery repair were limited. Here we describe a case of blunt traumatic injury with innominate artery transection. Endovascular stent-graft deployment through femoral artery was performed successfully without any neurologic deficit.

Usefulness of paradoxical systolic blood pressure increase after exercise as a predictor of cardiovascular mortality.

Exercise treadmill testing (ETT) is a well-accepted examination for patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD), and exercise induced ST-segment deviation is commonly used for CAD detection. However, recent evidence shows that systolic blood pressure (SBP) changes during and after exercise were associated with CAD severity, risk of acute myocardial infarction and stroke, new-onset hypertension, and even cardiovascular mortality. We retrospectively assessed 3,054 patients referred for ETT in 1996.