Peak early diastolic strain rate improves prediction of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: The prognostic role of diastolic dysfunction measured by the circumferential peak early diastolic strain rate (PEDSR) on ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is not completely established.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of diastolic function by measuring PEDSR within 1 week after STEMI.

Methods: The cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) pictures of 420 subjects from a clinical registry study (NCT03768453) were analyzed and the composite major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) were followed up.

Impact of Concomitant Impairments of the Left and Right Ventricular Myocardial Strain on the Prognoses of Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

The impact of concomitant impairments of left and right ventricular (LV and RV) strain on the long-term prognosis of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is not clear. We analyzed CMR images and followed up 420 first STEMI patients from the EARLY Assessment of MYOcardial Tissue Characteristics by CMR in STEMI (EARLY-MYO-CMR) registry (NCT03768453). These patients received timely primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 12 h and CMR examination within 1 week (median, 5 days; range, 2-7 days) after infarction.

Comparison of direct stenting with conventional strategy on myocardial impairments in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study.

Direct stenting (DS) without pre-dilatation of the culprit lesion might improve myocardial perfusion and prognosis in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI); however, some studies report conflicting results. We investigated whether DS provides incremental myocardial benefits over conventional stenting (CS) in STEMI patients based on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) measures. Reperfused patients who underwent CMR examinations within 1 week of STEMI onset were selected from a multicenter CMR registry of STEMI (NCT: 03768453).

LncRNA-RP11-714G18.1 suppresses vascular cell migration via directly targeting LRP2BP.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is considered as the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Accumulating evidence supports an important role for long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, the role of lncRNA in atherosclerosis-associated vascular dysfunction and the underlying mechanism remain elusive.

[Clinical outcomes of intravascular ultrasound in guiding the treatment of non-left main intermediate coronary lesions for patients with acute coronary syndrome].

Objective: To evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of intravascular ultrasound(IVUS) in guiding the treatment of non-left main intermediate coronary lesions for patients of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: A total of 25 patients with intermediate coronary lesions(stenosis of 40%-70%) confirmed by coronary angiography were performed with IVUS. When MLA≥4 mm, we deferred the PCI treatment and performed optimal medical treatment (OMT).

VNN1 promotes atherosclerosis progression in apoE-/- mice fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet.

Accumulated evidence shows that vanin-1 (VNN1) plays a key part in glucose metabolism. We explored the effect of VNN1 on cholesterol metabolism, inflammation, apoptosis in vitro, and progression of atherosclerotic plaques in apoE(-/-) mice. Oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) significantly induced VNN1 expression through an ERK1/2/cyclooxygenase-2/PPARα signaling pathway.

Dihydrocapsaicin suppresses proinflammatory cytokines expression by enhancing nuclear factor IA in a NF-κB-dependent manner.

Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease and represents the leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Accumulating evidences have showed that Dihydrocapsaicin (DHC) has been found to exert multiple pharmacological and physiological effects. Nevertheless, the effects and possible mechanism of DHC on proinflammatory response remain largely unexplained.

MicroRNA-125b-5p attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 production by targeting inhibiting LACTB in THP-1 macrophages.

Background: Increasing evidence has shown that gene beta-lactamases (LACTB) has effect on obesity. Recent studies demonstrate that miR-125b-5p is a potential small molecular target to prevent atherosclerosis obliterans which may be inflammation-associated. However, the mechanism underlying miR-125b-5p on arteriosclerosis development, the association between miR-125b-5p and LACTB is still unknown.

[Evaluation of two arterial closure devices, Angioseal and Perclose, in coronary catheter interventions].

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of two arterial closure devices, Angioseal and Perclose, in patients undergoing coronary angiography and invasive interventions.

Methods: From January 2001 to April 2011, 997 inpatients underwent coronary angiography and interventions with arterial closure using Perclose (486 cases) or Angioseal (511 cases). The time to ambulation and hemostasis, major vascular complications and deployment success rate with the two devices were compared.

[Evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function using velocity vector imaging and quantitative tissue velocity imaging].

Objective: To validate the efficacy of velocity vector imaging (VVI) and quantitative tissue velocity imaging (QTVI) for evaluating left ventricular diastolic function.

Methods: Fifty-one patients underwent left heart catheterization were included in this study. Mean of peak early diastolic velocity (Em), EF and the ratio of early (E) to late (A) mitral valve flow velocity (E/A) were measured by echocardiography and the ratio of E to Em (E/Em) was calculated.

[Targeted delivery of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation with ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction.

Methods: Twenty-one Wistar rats were divided into MSCs-iv group (MSCs-iv), ultrasound+MSCs-iv group (US+MSCs-iv), ultrasound+microbubble+MSCs-iv group (US+MB+MSCs-iv) with intravenous MSC transfer, ultrasound and microbubble treatment as indicated. The skeletal muscles were obtained from the rats for microscopic examination with HE staining.

[Ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction increases capillary permeability in rat skeletal muscles].

Objective: To investigate the effects of ultrasound mediated microbubble destruction on capillary permeability in rat skeletal muscles.

Methods: Eighteen SD rats were randomized into 3 groups, namely the Evans blue (EB) group, EB+ultrasound (E+U) group and EB+microbubble+ultrasound (U+E+M) group with corresponding treatments, using EB injected into the carotid artery as the indicator for capillary permeability. The microbubbles were injected through the carotid artery with fixed ultrasound parameters.

[Effect of microbubble cavitation on microcirculation of rat skeletal muscle].

Objective: To investigate the effect of therapeutic ultrasound-induced microbubble destruction on the microcirculation of rat skeletal muscle.

Methods: Thirty SD rats were randomized into 5 groups (n=6), namely normal saline, microbubble, ultrasound, high-energy ultrasound microbubble and low-energy ultrasound microbubble groups. Before and after the treatments, the diameter and blood flow velocity in the microvessels in the skeletal muscle were measured, and the structural changes of the injured microvessels observed by electron microscopy.

[Construction of eukaryotic expression vectors of two mutants of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 and their expressions in human microvascular endothelial cells].

Objective: To construct eukaryotic expression vectors of two mutants of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1alpha) and study their expressions in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs).

Methods: Site-directed mutagenesis was performed to induce the mutation of the codons for the residue Pro564 (ccc) in HIF-1alpha into gcc (Ala) in pcDNA3.1(+)-HIF-1alphato obtain single-site-mutated vector pcDNA3.

[Targeted adhesion of platelet receptor-specific microbubble agent to thrombus in vitro].

Objective: To examine the thrombus-targeting effect of platelet receptor-specific lipid microbubbles.

Methods: The targeted microbubbles were prepared by coupling Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) with the lipid microbubbles, which were added to the microthrombus generated by platelet aggregation. The effects of the targeted microbubbles on the ultrasonic signal was observed in an artificial thrombus model.

[Ultrasound microbubbles promote thrombolysis of rabbit femoral artery thrombus].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous ultrasound microbubbles for thrombolysis of arterial thrombus without using thrombolytic drugs.

Methods: Twelve rabbit models of acute bilateral femoral artery thrombosis were established and 6 of them received transcutaneous ultrasound and intravenous albumin microbubble treatment for thrombosis on one side while only microbubble treatment for the other side. The other 6 rabbits received ultrasound treatment on one side but no treatment on the other to serve as the control group.

[Conditions of contrast ultrasound that affect the proliferation of rat smooth muscle cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect of an echo-contrast agent on the proliferation of rat smooth muscle cells under different ultrasound conditions.

Methods: The vascular smooth muscle cells of rats were cultured with echo-contrast agent in 96-well plates, followed by exposure to ultrasound of different conditions. Trypan blue staining was performed 48 h later, and the proliferation of the cells observed by MTT assay.

[Effect of echo-contrast agent on rat vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation during ultrasound exposure].

Objective: To investigate the effect of echo-contrast agent on rat vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation in the presence of ultrasound exposure.

Methods: The VSMCs of rats were cultured in 6-well plates with or without the echo-contrast agent and stained with trypan blue at 3, 24, and 48 h respectively after ultrasound exposure for 1 min at 2 MHz, 0.25 mechanical index (MI).

Value of echocardiography for observing left ventricular hypertrophy in the diagnosis of myocardial microvascular damage in hypertensives.

Objective: To investigate the value of the echocardiographic observation of the left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in diagnosing myocardial microvascular damage in patients with essential hypertension (EH).

Methods: After intravenous injection with Quanfuxian (a contrast agent consisting of albumin and C3F8 prepared by Nanfang Hospital), the values of A (the maximum number of microbubbles accumulating in the local tissues for assessing the density of local microvessels), beta (the filling velocity of contrast agent for evaluating local blood flow velocity) and A x beta (the product of A and beta for estimating local myocardial blood flow) at rest and after dipyridamole injection were measured by intermittent harmonic imaging with myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE). The ratios of A and beta along with the microvascular coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) were also calculated.