Predictive risk factors for adverse events during tooth extraction among elderly patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Background: Tooth extraction is a risk factor for cardiovascular events, particularly in elderly patients. However, no clinical tool has been developed to date to predict the risk of adverse events (AEs) during tooth extraction.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively enrolled 774 elderly patients (aged ≥ 60 years) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) who were scheduled to undergo tooth extraction at the dental surgery department of Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital from January 2021 to July 2022.

Sarcopenia in older adults is associated with static postural control, fear of falling and fall risk: A study of Romberg test.

Background: As a geriatric syndrome, sarcopenia may exacerbate static postural control and increase fall risk among older adults. The Romberg test, a simple method to assess static postural control, has the potential to predict fall, but has rarely been used to assess static postural control and fall risk in sarcopenic older adults.

Research Question: How does sarcopenia increase fall risk by affecting static postural control?

Methods: Forty-four older adults performed the Romberg test and were included for analyses.

Levocarnitine regulates the growth of angiotensin II-induced myocardial fibrosis cells via TIMP-1.

This study aimed to explore the effects of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) on levocarnitine (LC)-mediated regulation of angiotensin II (AngII)-induced myocardial fibrosis (MF) and its underlying mechanisms. H9C2 cells were treated with AngII for 24 h to induce fibrosis. The cells were then treated with LC or transfected with TIMP-1-OE plasmid/si‑TIMP-1.

Combination of and in Gastrointestinal Microbiota Related to Bile-Acid Metabolism as a Biomarker for Hypertensive Nephropathy.

The human microbiome is a mixed group of microorganisms, which individually consists of 10-100 trillion symbiotic microbial cells. The relationship between gastrointestinal microbiota and blood pressure has been verified and the intestinal microbiota of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in the distribution of bacterial species is different from the flora of people with no CKD. The purpose of this research is to study the different intestinal microbiota of hypertensive patients with and without nephropathy and to find possible biomarkers of hypertensive nephropathy (H-CKD).

Matrix metalloproteinase 3 regulates angiotensin II‑induced myocardial fibrosis cell viability, migration and apoptosis.

Angiotensin II (AngII) is a central signaling molecule of the renin‑angiotensin system that serves a vital role in myocardial fibrosis (MF). The present study aimed to investigate the effects of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)3 on MF progression. To induce cellular fibrosis, H9C2 rat myocardial cells were treated with AngII for 24 h.

Efficacy and Safety of Policosanol Plus Fenofibrate Combination Therapy in Elderly Patients with Mixed Dyslipidemia: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Study.

Background: Policosanol is a mixture of long-chain alcohols isolated from sugar cane. This controlled, randomized clinical trial was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of fenofibrate, policosanol and a combination of these 2 in lowering low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in elderly patients with mixed dyslipidemia.

Methods: A total of 102 patients aged ≥60years were randomly assigned into 3 groups: patients receiving a 24-week therapy of fenofibrate (200 mg/day), policosanol (20 mg/day) or fenofibrate + policosanol combination.

Effect of stem cell transplantation of premature ovarian failure in animal models and patients: A meta-analysis and case report.

Stem cell transplantation has been considered a promising therapeutic approach for premature ovarian failure (POF). However, to date, no quantitative data analysis of stem cell therapy for POF has been performed. Therefore, the present study performed a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of stem cell transplantation in improving ovarian function in animal models of POF.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of pseudohypertension in elderly patients prepared for coronary artery angiography.

Background: Pseudohypertension (PHT) can cause adverse effects in the elderly owing to administration of antihypertension therapy. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of PHT in the elderly and associated risk factors to investigate a noninvasive method of detection of PHT.

Methods: We recruited 151 patients (age ≥60 years) who underwent coronary angiography.

An RNA‑sequencing study identifies candidate genes for angiotensin II‑induced cardiac remodeling.

The present study aimed to reveal the underlying mechanism of angiotensin II (AngII)‑induced cardiac remodeling and to identify potential therapeutic targets for prevention. Rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) were cultured with 10 nM AngII for 12 h, and CFs without AngII were used as the control. Following RNA isolation from AngII treated and control CFs, RNA‑sequencing was performed to detect gene expression levels.

Two NHX-type transporters from Helianthus tuberosus improve the tolerance of rice to salinity and nutrient deficiency stress.

The NHX-type cation/H transporters in plants have been shown to mediate Na (K )/H exchange for salinity tolerance and K homoeostasis. In this study, we identified and characterized two NHX homologues, HtNHX1 and HtNHX2 from an infertile and salinity tolerant species Helianthus tuberosus (cv. Nanyu No.

Lercanidipine effect on circulating CD34+ progenitor cells in elderly patients: a randomized study.

Objective: This randomized study evaluates the effects of lercanidipine - as well as its antihypertensive efficacy - on the number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in elderly patients with hypertension.

Research Design And Methods: In total, 61 patients with hypertension were randomly assigned to lercanidipine 10 mg/day or to other antihypertensive treatments (control group).

Main Outcome Measures: Cytometry analysis was conducted at baseline, at 12 weeks and at 24 weeks.

[Algal oligosaccharides ameliorate osteoporosis via up-regulation of parathyroid hormone 1-84 and vascular endothelial growth factor].

Objective: To determine whether algal oligosac- charide~ affects the levels of parathyroid hormone 1-84 (PTH1-84) and vascular endothelial growth fac- tor (VEGF).

Methods: An osteoporosis rat model was estab- lished via bilateral ovariectomy. The model rats were fed algal oligosaccharides (molecular weights: 600-1, 200 Da) for 4 months.

Adventitial gene transfer of catalase attenuates angiotensin II-induced vascular remodeling.

Vascular adventitia and adventitia‑derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to vascular remodeling following vascular injury. A previous ex vivo study in adventitial fibroblasts showed that catalase, one of most important anti‑oxide enzymes, was downregulated by angiotensin II (AngII). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether adventitial gene transfer of catalase affects AngII‑induced vascular remodeling in vivo.

Differential ERK1/2 Signaling and Hypertrophic Response to Endothelin-1 in Cardiomyocytes from SHR and Wistar-Kyoto Rats: A Potential Target for Combination Therapy of Hypertension.

Extracellular signal regulated kinase½ (ERK1/2) signaling is critical to endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. This study was to investigate ERK1/2 signaling and hypertrophic response to ET-1 stimulation in cardiomyocytes (CMs) from spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Primary neonatal SHR and WKY CMs were exposed to ET-1 for up to 24 hrs.

[Association between total antioxidant status and atherosclerosis in elderly patients with essential hypertension].

Objective: To investigate the association between plasma total antioxidant status (TAS) and association with brachial-ankle pulsewave velocity (baPWV) in the elderly patients with essential hypertension(EH).

Methods: A total of 133 consecutive EH patients older than 60 years were enrolled and another 92 elderly non-EH healthy subjects served as control. According to blood pressure level, EH patients were further classified into three subgroups.

Gamma-glutamyltransferase level and risk of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Several prospective observational studies suggest that gamma-glutamyltransferase(GGT) level is positively associated with risk of hypertension. However, these studies draw inconsistent conclusions. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the exact association between GGT level and subsequent development of hypertension.

Angiotensin II downregulates catalase expression and activity in vascular adventitial fibroblasts through an AT1R/ERK1/2-dependent pathway.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a profound regulatory effect on NADPH oxidase and the functional features of vascular adventitial fibroblasts, but its role in antioxidant enzyme defense remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of Ang II on expressions and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in adventitial fibroblasts and the possible mechanism involved. Ang II decreased the expression and activity of CAT in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but not that of SOD and GPx.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ regulates angiotensin II-induced catalase downregulation in adventitial fibroblasts of rats.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ ligands oppose the effect induced by angiotensin II (Ang II) to reduce oxidative stress and improve antioxidant status. In this study, Ang II inhibited catalase (CAT) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR γ) protein and mRNA expressions. Transfection with PPAR γ small-interfering RNA (siRNA) led to a reduction in CAT expression.

Differential expression of alpha-enolase in the normal and pathological cardiac growth.

Objectives: It was found that alpha-enolase was dramatically up-regulated in the hypertrophic hearts of SHR in our previous study. The purposes of this study were to examine the expression pattern of alpha-enolase in pre- and postnatal myocardium of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, and to explore the relationship between the overexpression of alpha-enolase and left ventricular hypertrophy.

Methods: HE staining was used for the measurement of cardiac hypertrophy.

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells in Chinese patients with acute stroke.

To test the hypothesis that a mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) occurs after acute cerebrovascular diseases, we evaluated the number of EPCs in the process of acute stroke. A total of 203 individuals were examined, including 100 patients with ischemic strokes, 36 patients with hemorrhagic strokes and 67 healthy controls. Ninety-eight patients were observed at days 1, 7, 14 and 28 after acute stroke.

Efficacy and safety of benidipine therapy of essential hypertension in elderly Chinese patients.

Background: Benidipine (CAS 105979-17-7) is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker used in the treatment of hypertension and angina pectoris.

Objective: To examine the efficacy and safety of therapy with benidipine in elderly hypertensive patients.

Methods: Chinese patients >60 years of age with mild to moderate essential hypertension were enrolled.

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells, C-reactive protein and severity of coronary stenosis in Chinese patients with coronary artery disease.

We sought to investigate whether numbers and activity of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) correlate with severity of coronary stenosis as well as cardiovascular risk factors in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Number of circulating EPCs was analyzed in 104 consecutive patients with proven or clinically suspected CAD. Adhesive and migratory activity was also determined.

[Number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells inversely correlate with the severity of coronary artery disease in patients with stable coronary artery disease].

Objective: To investigate whether the number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) correlate with the severity of coronary stenosis in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: 80 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography (exclusion of acute coronary syndrome and myocardial infarction) were enrolled. Physical examination and blood tests were performed to assess the disease severity and cardiovascular risk factors.