N-Terminal Proteomics Reveals Distinct Protein Degradation Patterns in Different Types of Human Atherosclerotic Plaques.

Atherosclerotic plaque rupture is a major cause of cardiovascular events. Plaque destabilization is associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) modification involving proteases which generate protein fragments with new N-termini. We hypothesized that rupture-prone plaques would contain elevated fragment levels, and their sequences would allow identification of active proteases and target proteins.

Relationship Between Intraluminal Thrombus Volume and Circulating ADAMTS-13 Activity in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

Introduction: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) with intraluminal thrombus (ILT) are suggested to be more prone to rupture than AAAs without. Prior studies indicate that the von Willebrand factor (vWf) plays a role in the formation of ILT since a positive correlation between ILT volume and vWf has been shown. vWf mediates the tethering of platelets at sites of endothelial injury, and the protease ADAMTS-13 cleaves larger forms of vWf, thus counteracting the thrombosis cascade and maintaining haemostatic balance.

Automated 3D ultrasound bridges the gap between novices and experts in diameter assessment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Background: The current management of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) hinges upon assessing diameter using ultrasound (US). Diameter reproducibility with conventional two-dimensional ultrasound (2D-US) is challenging and requires experienced operators. A novel automatic three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) system enables on-cart software-assisted diameter estimation (3D-SAUS), potentially facilitating more precise diameter measurements than 2D-US.