Serum Irisin as a Predictor for Peripheral Arterial Disease: Insights from a Clinical Study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between serum irisin concentration and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and to establish clinical prediction nomograms for PAD occurrence by comparing and analyzing clinical data from patients with PAD and healthy controls.

Methods: A total of 112 patients with PAD and 90 healthy individuals were recruited for the study. Clinical data from both groups were collected and serum irisin concentration was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

The in vivo characterization of electrospun heparin-bonded polycaprolactone in small-diameter vascular reconstruction.

Objective: To evaluate the possibility of using heparin-bonded polycaprolactone grafts to replace small-diameter arteries.

Methods: Polycaprolactone was bonded with heparin. The activated partial thromboplastin time of heparin-bonded polycaprolactone grafts was determined in vitro.

[Special issues in endovascular treatment of lower extremities arteriosclerosis obliterans].

Objective: To explore the clinical efficacy of endovascular treatment for lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans.

Methods: A total of 34 patients (43 limbs) with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans undergoing endovascular treatment from July 2010 to July 2012 were analyzed. The cohort had Fontaine stage II b (n = 16), Fontaine stage III (n = 10) and Fontaine stage III (n = 8).

The in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility evaluation of heparin-poly(ε-caprolactone) conjugate for vascular tissue engineering scaffolds.

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was conjugated with heparin and fabricated into nonwoven tubular scaffold by electrospinning. The dynamic contact angle analysis revealed the hydrophilicity improvement due to heparin concentrating on the conjugate surface. The microbicinchoninic acid and quartz crystal microbalance measurements implied that the conjugate can significantly reduce the absorption of plasma protein, such as albumin and fibrinogen, indicative of the good blood biocompatibility.

[Preliminary study on porous scaffold prepared with decellularized artery].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of preparing the porous extracellular matrix (ECM) by use of some chemicals and enzymes to decellularize the porcine carotid artery.

Methods: The porcine carotid artery was procured, and warm ischemia time was less than 30 minutes. The porcine carotid artery was decellularized with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) for 60 hours to prepare common ECM; then common ECM was treated with 0.

Surgical treatment of brachiocephalic vessel involvement in Takayasu's arteritis.

Background: Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disease that affects large and medium size arteries. The brachiocephalic trunk is the most frequently involved site in TA, and multi-vessel lesions are common. Surgical treatment includes vessel reconstruction surgery and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA).