A nanovaccine for immune activation and prophylactic protection of atherosclerosis in mouse models.

Vaccines offer prophylactic treatments against atherosclerosis by eliciting effector T cell and antibody responses, which require effective delivery of antigen and adjuvant to activate dendritic cells (DC). Here we show that individual conjugation of antigen p210 and adjuvant CpG oligodeoxynucleotides onto superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles formulates a nanovaccine cocktail that activates DCs for antigen cross-presentation and induction of co-stimulatory signals, cytokines and CD8 effector/effector memory T cell responses. This nanovaccine modulates the DCs in the draining lymph nodes, activates both CD4 and CD8 T cells, elicits memory responses, and induces both anti-p210 IgM and IgG antibodies to suppress atherosclerosis.

Prediction of 28-Day All-Cause Mortality in Heart Failure Patients with Clostridioides difficile Infection Using Machine Learning Models: Evidence from the MIMIC-IV Database.

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) may induce bowel hypoperfusion, leading to hypoxia of the villa of the bowel wall and the occurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). However, the risk factors for the development of CDI in HF patients have yet to be fully illustrated, especially because of a lack of evidence from real-world data.

Methods: Clinical data and survival situations of HF patients with CDI admitted to ICU were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database.

Near-infrared spectroscopy identification method of cashmere and wool fibers based on an optimized wavelength selection algorithm.

Cashmere and wool fibers have similar chemical compositions, making them difficult to distinguish based on their absorption peaks and band positions in near-infrared spectroscopy. Existing studies commonly use wavelength selection or feature extraction algorithms to obtain significant spectral features, but traditional algorithms often overlook the correlations between wavelengths, resulting in weak adaptability and local optimum issues. To address this problem, this paper proposes a recognition algorithm based on optimal wavelength selection, which can remove redundant information and make the model effective in capturing patterns and key features of the data.

Hydroxyl radical-mediated synthesis of carbonyl functionalized graphene quantum dots-like as enzyme mimics with tunable fluorescence emission.

The synthesis of graphene quantum dots-like enriched with specific oxygenated groups (o-GQDs) exhibiting great catalytic performance offers a promising tool for diagnosis and biomedicine, but introducing specific oxygen groups remains a challenge. Here, we propose a mild synthetic protocol for producing regulated fluorescence emission (from blue to yellow) carbonyl functionalized GQDs with double catalytic function through FeO-catalyzed hydroxyl radical (·OH) oxidation the precursors like graphene oxide, polyaniline (PANI) and polydopamine (PDA). The method can be carried out at room temperature than the traditional high-temperature oxidation in concentrated acid.

Smartphone-assisted hydrogel platform based on BSA-CeO nanoclusters for dual-mode determination of acetylcholinesterase and organophosphorus pesticides.

A dual-mode sensor was developed for detecting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) via bifunctional BSA-CeO nanoclusters (NCs) with oxidase-mimetic activity and fluorescence property. The dual-mode sensor has the characteristics of self-calibration and self-verification, meeting the needs of different detection conditions and provide more accurate results. The colorimetric sensor and fluorescence sensor have been successfully used for detecting AChE with limit of detection (LOD) of 0.

Retinal microvascular changes in diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Background: To explore the characteristics of retina microvascular changes in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and its risk factors.

Methods: Retrospective, observational study. 145 patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus (DM) and DN were included in the study.

Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonists in cardiovascular health and disease.

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been rising due to sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy dietary patterns. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) is a nuclear receptor regulating multiple biological processes, such as lipid metabolism and inflammatory response critical to cardiovascular homeostasis. Healthy endothelial cells (ECs) lining the lumen of blood vessels maintains vascular homeostasis, where endothelial dysfunction associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation triggers the pathogenesis of CVD.

Disparate Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of HFpEF versus HFrEF Phenotype of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is an ill-defined entity. This study aims to explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis of diabetic patients that disparately develop heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) other than HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Patients And Methods: A total of 911 patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus were identified in the ChiHFpEF cohort (NCT05278026).

Gene polymorphism in IL17A and gene-gene interaction in the IL23R/IL17A axis are associated with susceptibility to coronary artery disease.

Aims: Studies have confirmed that the IL-23R/IL-17A axis plays an important role in the development of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. However, its role in coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unclear. Here, we conducted a large sample case-control study to investigate the association between the IL23R/IL17A axis and CAD in the Chinese Han population.

Genetic Analysis Reveals Different Mechanisms of IL-5 Involved in the Development of CAD in a Chinese Han Population.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a complex disease and the leading cause of death worldwide. It is caused by genetic and environmental factors or their interactions. Candidate gene association studies are an important genetic strategy for the study of complex diseases, and multiple variants of inflammatory cytokines have been found to be associated with CAD using this method.

Association between metformin use and the risk of age-related macular degeneration in patients with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective study.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of metformin on the decreased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) for ≥10 years.

Design: A retrospective study.

Participants: Patients aged ≥50 with a diagnosis of T2DM no less than 10 years were included.

Efficacy of conbercept after switching from bevacizumab/ranibizumab in eyes of macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion.

Aim: To explore the efficacy of conbercept after switching from bevacizumab/ranibizumab in eyes of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) through optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods: Patients with prior treatment of a minimum of three consecutive intravitreal injections of either bevacizumab or ranibizumab, followed by injection of conbercept, were recruited. The minimal follow-up period after switching was 12mo.

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation impairs insulin sensitivity and promotes lipogenesis during exercise in diet-induced obese mice.

Objective: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are popular dietary supplements for exercise. However, increased BCAA levels positively correlate with obesity and diabetes. The metabolic impact of BCAA supplementation on insulin sensitivity during exercise is less understood.

Targeting the KCa3.1 channel suppresses diabetes-associated atherosclerosis via the STAT3/CD36 axis.

Background: In diet-induced arterial atherosclerosis, increased KCa3.1 channel was associated with atherosclerotic plaque progression and instability. Macrophages are involved in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, and the release of inflammatory cytokines and oxygen free radicals promotes plaque progression.

Identification of vital modules and genes associated with heart failure based on weighted gene coexpression network analysis.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) is a chronic heart disease with a high incidence and mortality. Due to the regulatory complexity of gene coexpression networks, the underlying hub genes regulation in HF remain incompletely appreciated. We aimed to explore potential key modules and genes for HF using weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA).

Comprehensive analysis of the ceRNA network in coronary artery disease.

With the rapid aging of the population, coronary artery disease (CAD) has become one of the most fatal chronic diseases. However, the genetic mechanism of CAD is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to construct the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network for CAD diseases and systematically identify differentially expressed genes in patients with coronary heart disease.

Genetic association analysis between IL9 and coronary artery disease in a Chinese Han population.

Interleukin-9 (IL-9) plays important role in coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the exact relationship between them is not explored yet. Here, four tag SNPs covering IL9 (rs31563, rs2069868, rs2069870 and rs31564) were selected to conduct case-control association analyses in a total of 3704 individuals from Chinese Han population (1863 CAD vs 1841 control).

Loss of myeloid Bmal1 exacerbates hypertensive vascular remodelling through interaction with STAT6 in mice.

Aims: In addition to its involvement of inflammatory responses, limited information is available on the phenotype and behaviour of vascular macrophages during hypertensive vascular remodelling. Here, we aim at studying the contribution of BMAL1 to the pro-fibrotic macrophage phenotype in the vasculature during hypertension, which leads to enhanced vascular remodelling and promoted blood pressure increase.

Methods And Results: Wild type Bmal1f/f and myeloid cell selective Bmal1 knockout Bmal1f/f; LysMCre/+ mice were infused with AngII for 4 weeks to induce hypertension.

Two New Methods of Supine Venographically Guided Popliteal Vein Puncture: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: Presently, the prone position is necessary for popliteal vein puncture access, but it makes the patients uncomfortable and does not allow traditional femoral or jugular access. To address these deficiencies, this study introduces two new methods, anterior and medial access carried out in the supine position.

Methods: Venous interventions with punctures in the popliteal vein of 120 limbs in 97 patients were performed during the period from February 2017 to April 2019.

KLF2 Mediates the Suppressive Effect of Laminar Flow on Vascular Calcification by Inhibiting Endothelial BMP/SMAD1/5 Signaling.

[Figure: see text].

Study on the predictive effect of fibrinogen on vascular calcification.

Background: Fibrinogen, lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein levels were associated with vascular calcification, but their predictive capacity for a vascular calcification was not reported.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive efficacy of fibrinogen, lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein by retrospective analysis of fibrinogen, lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein levels in patients with vascular calcification, to explore the effective predictive indexes of vascular calcification, to predict the occurrence and development of vascular calcification, and to provide a simple and effective method for the diagnosis and prevention of vascular calcification. Fibrinogen is a good prediction of vascular calcification.

Correction: Direct electrodeposition of cationic pillar[6]arene-modified graphene oxide composite films and their host-guest inclusions for enhanced electrochemical performance.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D0RA03138K.].

pH-Responsive Host-Guest Complexations Between a Water-Soluble Pillar[6]arene Dodecyl-Ammonium Chloride and Aromatic Sulfonic Acids.

In the present work, new host-guest binding motifs based on a water-soluble pillar[6]arene dodecyl-ammonium chloride (CP6) with two aromatic sulfonic acids in aqueous media were fabricated. In accordance with the integrated results of H NMR, 2D NOESY, and florescence titration experiments, it was demonstrated that the host-guest binding of CP6 with the two aromatic sulfonic acids in aqueous solution not only has high binding constants but also has pH-responsiveness.

Oscillating Magnetic Field Regulates Cell Adherence and Endothelialization Based on Magnetic Nanoparticle-Modified Bacterial Cellulose.

Despite the widely explored biomaterial scaffolds in vascular tissue engineering applications lately, no ideal platform has been provided for small diameter synthetic vascular grafts mainly due to the thrombosis issue. Endothelium is the only known completely non-thrombogenic material; so, functional endothelialization onto vascular biomaterials is critical in maintaining the patency of vascular networks. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural biomaterial with superior biocompatibility and appropriate hydrophilicity as potential vascular grafts.