Association of serum Asprosin concentrations with heart failure.

Background: To analyze the association of serum Asprosin concentrations with heart failure (HF).

Methods: A total of 103 patients with HF were included in the HF group, and 103 patients with health checkups were included in the non-HF group. The serum Asprosin levels of the two groups were measured, and relevant clinical data were collected for statistical analysis.

Elevated expression of periostin in diabetic cardiomyopathy and the effect of valsartan.

Background: Periostin, an extracellular matrix protein, plays a significant role in adverse cardiac remodeling. However, no report has documented the function of periostin in left ventricular remodeling of streptozototin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The aim of the present study was to observe the expression of periostin in Wistar rat's myocardium of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and the effect of valsartan on it.

Plasma nesfatin-1 level in obese patients after acupuncture: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Nesfatin-1 is an anorexigenic hormone suggested to regulate obesity.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between nesfatin-1 level and anthropometric and metabolic parameters in obese patients, and examine the change in plasma nesfatin-1 level after acupuncture treatment.

Methods: 64 obese adult patients without diabetes and 58 normal weight control subjects were enrolled in this study.

SagE induces highly effective protective immunity against Streptococcus iniae mainly through an immunogenic domain in the extracellular region.

Background: Streptococcus iniae is a Gram-positive bacterium and a severe pathogen of a wide range of farmed fish. S. iniae possesses a virulence-associated streptolysin S cluster composed of several components, one of which is SagE.

Decreased plasma nesfatin-1 levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Nesfatin-1 is a novel anorexigenic hormone which has close relationship with diabetes, obese, anorexia nervosa, psychiatric disorders and neurogenic diseases. The aim of our study was to evaluate levels of plasma nesfatin-1 among patients presenting with coronary artery disease and the correlation between nesfatin-1 levels and other clinical parameters. Fasting plasma levels of nesfatin-1 were tested in 48 acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, 74 stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients and 34 control subjects.

[Implication of elevated expression of receptor for activated C kinase 1 in mononuclear cells and coronary atherosclerotic plaques from patients with coronary artery disease].

Objective: To observe the expression and clinical implication of receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) in mononuclear cells and coronary atherosclerotic plaques from patients with coronary artery disease.

Methods: mRNA and protein expressions of RACK1 were detected in mononuclear cells from 29 patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP), 41 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and 30 healthy volunteers. RACK1 protein expression was also detected by immunohistochemistry in 17 coronary atherosclerotic plaques and 6 normal autopsy coronary samples.

Effect of a single high loading dose of rosuvastatin on percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndromes.

Objectives: A high loading dose of atorvastatin has been confirmed to reduce postprocedural events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In this study, we sought to investigate the protective effects of rosuvastatin in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) undergoing PCI and to determine the effect of rosuvastatin pretreatment on the postprocedural levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1).

Methods: A total of 125 patients with non-ST-segment elevation ACS were randomized to pretreatment with rosuvastatin (20 mg 2-4 hours before PCI [n = 62]) or placebo (n = 63).