Deletion of Microfibrillar-Associated Protein 4 Attenuates Left Ventricular Remodeling and Dysfunction in Heart Failure.

Background Cardiac remodeling predisposes individuals to heart failure if the burden is not solved, and heart failure is a growing cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The cardiac extracellular matrix not only provides structural support, but also is a core aspect of the myocardial response to various biomechanical stresses and heart failure. MFAP4 (microfibrillar-associated protein 4) is an integrin ligand located in the extracellular matrix, whose biological functions in the heart remain poorly understood.

Inhibition of microRNA-327 ameliorates ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis through targeting apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain.

Apoptosis is the major cause of cardiomyocyte death in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI). Increasing evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) can contribute to the regulation of cardiomyocytes apoptosis by posttranscriptional modulation of gene expression networks. However, the effects of miR-327 in regulating MI/RI-induced cardiomyocytes apoptosis have not been extensively investigated.

Identification of differentially expressed genes and preliminary validations in cardiac pathological remodeling induced by transverse aortic constriction.

Cardiac remodeling predisposes to heart failure if the burden is unresolved, and heart failure is an important cause of mortality in humans. The aim of the present study was to identify the key genes involved in cardiac pathological remodeling induced by pressure overload. Gene expression profiles of the GSE5500, GSE18224, GSE36074 and GSE56348 datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.

Cordycepin ameliorates cardiac hypertrophy via activating the AMPKα pathway.

Increase of myocardial oxidative stress is closely related to the occurrence and development of cardiac hypertrophy. Cordycepin, also known as 3'-deoxyadenosine, is a natural bioactive substance extracted from Cordyceps militaris (which is widely cultivated for commercial use in functional foods and medicine). Since cordycepin suppresses oxidative stress both in vitro and in vivo, we hypothesized that cordycepin would inhibit cardiac hypertrophy by blocking oxidative stress-dependent related signalling.

Oridonin protects against cardiac hypertrophy by promoting P21-related autophagy.

Autophagy is an endogenous protective process; the loss of autophagy could destabilize proteostasis and elevate intracellular oxidative stress, which is critically involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Oridonin, a natural tetracycline diterpenoid from the Chinese herb Rabdosia, has autophagy activation properties. In this study, we tested whether oridonin protects against cardiac hypertrophy in mice and cardiomyocytes.

Galangin ameliorates cardiac remodeling via the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 and PI3K-AKT pathways.

Cardiac remodeling is associated with inflammation and apoptosis. Galangin, as a natural flavonol, has the potent function of regulating inflammation and apoptosis, which are factors related to cardiac remodeling. Beginning 3 days after aortic banding (AB) or Sham surgery, mice were treated with galangin for 4 weeks.

Isoquercitrin Attenuated Cardiac Dysfunction Via AMPKα-Dependent Pathways in LPS-Treated Mice.

Scope: Isoquercitrin (IQC) has been reported to play a protective role in many pathological conditions. Here, the effects of IQC on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cardiac dysfunction are investigated, exploring its potential molecular mechanisms.

Methods And Results: C57BL/6 mice or H9c2 cardiomyoblasts are subjected to LPS challenge for 12 h.

Down-Regulation of miR-327 Alleviates Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Myocardial Damage by Targeting RP105.

Background/aims: Micro RNAs (miRNAs) play a very important role in myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion injury (MIRI), including in inflammation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Previous studies have demonstrated up-regulation of miR-327 in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury and MIRI. Via TargetScan, we found RP105 is a possible target gene of miR-327; our previous studies have also confirmed that RP105 acted as a cardioprotective protein in MIRI by reducing inflammation.

Study on highly enhanced photocatalytic tetracycline degradation of type Ⅱ AgI/CuBiO and Z-scheme AgBr/CuBiO heterojunction photocatalysts.

Removal of antibiotics from aqueous solutions by photocatalysis is an advanced technology for environmental remediation. Herein, we have fabricated a series of AgX (X = I, Br)/CuBiO composites through an in-situ precipitation method. The photocatalytic activity of the obtained photocatalysts was measured by the degradation of tetracycline (TC) under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm).

Vitamin D and new-onset atrial fibrillation: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, which affects 1.5% to 2% of the general population. More than six million Europeans suffer from AF.

RNAi-Mediated Down-Regulation of CD47 Protects against Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Myocardial Damage via Activation of eNOS in a Rat Model.

Background/aims: Oxidative stress is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of myocardial damage caused by ischemia reperfusion (I/R). Previous studies have confirmed that cardiac CD47 drives left ventricular heart failure. However, the role for CD47 in myocardial I/R injury (MIRI) has not previously been proposed.

Paclitaxel-eluting stents versus sirolimus-eluting stents in patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Uncertainties exist with regard to the efficacy of paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) versus sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) in diabetes patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to investigate the outcome of PES versus SES in diabetes patients undergoing PCI. A literature search was started, and we found all studies conducted from 2005 to 2016.

The role of renin-angiotensin aldosterone system related micro-ribonucleic acids in hypertension.

Micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are small (21-25 nucleotide) single-stranded, evolutionarily conserved non-protein-coding RNAs, which control diverse cellular functions by interacting with the 3' untranslated region of specific target messenger RNAs at the post-transcriptional level. Research shows that an aberrant expression profile of miRNAs has been linked to a series of diseases, including hypertension. In the past few decades, it has been demonstrated that excessive activation of the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) involves in the pathogenesis of hypertension.

A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials Comparing Shorter (Less or Equal Than 6 Months) and Longer (More or Equal Than 12 Months) Dual Anti-Platelet Therapy Following Drug-Eluting Coronary Stents.

Context: The optimal duration of dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT) after the implantation of drug-eluting coronary stents (DES) is still the subject of ongoing debate. This meta-analysis was performed to investigate the optimal duration between ≤ 6 months and ≥ 12 months for DAPT after implantation of DES.

Evidence Acquisition: This study was conducted at the department of cardiology, the first college of clinical medical sciences, institute of cardiovascular diseases of Three Gorges university during December 2014.

[Expression study of DNA translesion synthesis genes in human primary glioma].

Objective: To detect the expressions of Rev1, Pol zeta, Pol eta, Pol iota and Pol kappa mRNA in human primary glioma tissues, and to analyze the relationship between the expression and the pathological grade.

Methods: We applied SYBR Green real-time PCR to investigate the mRNA expressions of the 6 genes in 85 primary glioma tissues and 14 normal brain tissues.

Results: The expressions of 4 genes including Rev3, Rev7, Pol eta and Pol iota were significantly (P < 0.