Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Reconstructed Patient-Level Data.

Objective: The standard approach for coronary artery bypass grafting is open surgery. Totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass has emerged as an alternative for selected patients. This meta-analysis sought to evaluate clinical outcomes with this emerging technique.

Inflammatory fibroid polyp of the esophagus: a systematic review.

Introduction: Esophageal inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP) is a rare benign tumor of the gastrointestinal tract with limited available data on clinicopathologic features and treatment strategies.

Evidence Acquisition: A systematic review of the literature in PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases was performed for articles concerning esophageal IFP in adult population.

Evidence Synthesis: A total of 16 studies were identified, involving 16 patients with a Male-Female Ratio of 3:1 and mean age of 50.

Klotho as an Early Marker of Acute Kidney Injury Following Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Acute kidney injury is a common complication following cardiac surgery (CSA-AKI). Serum creatinine levels require a minimum of 24-48 h to indicate renal injury. Nevertheless, early diagnosis remains critical for improving patient outcomes.

Myocardial Expression of Pluripotency, Longevity, and Proinflammatory Genes in the Context of Hypercholesterolemia and Statin Treatment.

This study sought to assess the effect of statin therapy on myocardial inflammation in a White New Zealand rabbit model of atherogenesis. The mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory, pluripotency, and aging-related markers were quantified following a controlled feeding protocol and statin treatments. Following high-cholesterol diet induction, we observed significant upregulation in the myocardial mRNA levels of MYD88, NF-κB, chemokines (CCL4, CCL20, and CCR2), IFN-γ, interleukins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-18), and novel markers (klotho, KFL4, NANOG, and HIF1α).

Raw data were not disclosed in 95% of PubMed-indexed heart failure meta-analyses in 2021: A systematic analysis of transparency.

Background: The rising concern of irreproducible and non-transparent studies poses a significant challenge in modern medical literature. The impact of this issue on cardiology, particularly in the subfield of heart failure, remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed the quality of evidence presented in recent heart failure meta-analyses by exploring several crucial transparency indicators.

The Expression Patterns and Implications of , , and in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma.

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a malignant tumor with poorly understood molecular mechanisms. This study endeavors to elucidate how the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) , and , as well as the microRNA , exhibit specific expression patterns in the pathogenesis and prognosis of EAC. A total of 50 EAC tissue samples (tumors and lymph nodes) and a control group comprising 26 healthy individuals were recruited.

Multivisceral Resection for Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Evidence Quality Assessment.

Patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) often require multivisceral resection (MVR) of the involved organs to achieve R0 resection and local disease control. The aim of the present study was to systematically review all available literature on the postoperative and long-term outcomes of MVR for gastric cancer. The PubMed database was systematically searched by two independent investigators for studies concerning MVR for LAGC.

Targeting Senescent Cells as Therapy for CKD.

Senescent cells accumulate in the kidney with aging, after acute and chronic injuries, and are present in increased numbers in deteriorating kidney transplants. Senescent cells have undergone permanent cell cycle arrest and release many proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines and profibrotic factors: the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Recent work from several groups including our own has shown that senescent cells play a causative role in progression of kidney disease.

Bioprosthetic Valves for Lifetime Management of Aortic Stenosis: Pearls and Pitfalls.

This review explores the use of bioprosthetic valves for the lifetime management of patients with aortic stenosis, considering recent advancements in surgical (SAV) and transcatheter bioprostheses (TAV). We examine the strengths and challenges of each approach and their long-term implications. We highlight differences among surgical bioprostheses regarding durability and consider novel surgical valves such as the Inspiris Resilia, Intuity rapid deployment, and Perceval sutureless bioprostheses.

Endovascular Treatment of Type A Aortic Dissection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Using Reconstructed Time-to-Event Data.

Objective: The undisputed gold standard of treatment for type A aortic dissections (TAAD) is open surgery. Anecdotal reports have assessed thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) as a last resort for highly selected candidates. The present study aims to evaluate endovascular outcomes in TAAD patients who are unsuitable for open surgery whilst having TEVAR-compatible aortic anatomy.

Transfection of Vein Grafts with Early Growth Response Factor-1 Oligodeoxynucleotide Decoy: Effects on Stem-Cell Genes and Toll-like Receptor-Mediated Inflammation.

The long-term patency of vein grafts is challenged by intimal hyperplasia. We sought to explore the intricate relationships between the transcription factor Egr-1, toll-like receptors (TLRs), and stem cell genes and also assessed oligodeoxynucleotide decoys (ODNs) as a strategy to prevent vein graft failures. A total of 42 New Zealand white rabbits were fed hyperlipidemic chow and classified into three groups.

Mitral valve surgery in octogenarians: Identifying factors that can guide clinical decision-making.

Background: Mitral valve surgery in octogenarians is a clinical challenge due to the impact of inherent, age-related comorbidities. Within the context of an aging population, the number of mitral surgery candidates over 80 has been gradually increasing. We sought to evaluate our institutional experience with mitral valve surgery in octogenarians to identify factors that may prove useful during the process of clinical decision-making.

MYD88 and Proinflammatory Chemokines in Aortic Atheromatosis: Exploring Novel Statin Effects.

Atherosclerosis is driven by a diverse range of cellular and molecular processes. In the present study, we sought to better understand how statins mitigate proatherogenic inflammation. 48 male New Zealand rabbits were divided into eight groups, each including 6 animals.

The effectiveness of blood flow restriction training in cardiovascular disease patients: A scoping review.

Therapeutic exercise is integral to the comprehensive rehabilitation of patients with cardiovascular disease and, as such, is recommended by the American Heart Association as a valuable and effective treatment method for such patients. The type of exercise applied to these patients is aerobic and resistance exercise with mild intensities and loads to avoid overloading the cardiovascular system. Blood flow restriction exercise is a novel exercise modality in clinical settings that has in many studies a similar effect on muscle hypertrophy, strength, and cardiovascular response to training at a 70% strength level without blood flow restriction.

Indian Hedgehog release from TNF-activated renal epithelia drives local and remote organ fibrosis.

Progressive fibrosis is a feature of aging and chronic tissue injury in multiple organs, including the kidney and heart. Glioma-associated oncogene 1 expressing (Gli1) cells are a major source of activated fibroblasts in multiple organs, but the links between injury, inflammation, and Gli1 cell expansion and tissue fibrosis remain incompletely understood. We demonstrated that leukocyte-derived tumor necrosis factor (TNF) promoted Gli1 cell proliferation and cardiorenal fibrosis through induction and release of Indian Hedgehog (IHH) from renal epithelial cells.

Updates on the Global Prevalence and Etiology of Constrictive Pericarditis: A Systematic Review.

Constrictive pericarditis is a rare disease with poorly understood epidemiology. A systematic literature search was adopted to assess the region- and period-specific traits of constrictive pericarditis through Pubmed, EMBASE, and Scopus. Case reports and studies including less than 20 patients were excluded.

Risk of sarcopenia, fear of COVID-19, anxiety, depression and physical activity levels: Associations across patients on hemodialysis within Greece.

Objectives: The purpose of this multicenter cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between SARC-F, fear of COVID 19, anxiety, depression and physical activity in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods: This study was conducted in 3 hemodialysis centers in Greece during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarcopenia risk was assessed using the Greek version of SARC-F (≥4).

Gastrectomy for Cancer: A 15-Year Analysis of Real-World Data from the University of Athens.

: Encouraging data have been reported from referral centers following gastrointestinal cancer surgery. Our goal was to retrospectively review patient outcomes following gastrectomy for gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer at a high-volume unit of the University of Athens. : The enrollment period was from June 2003 to September 2018.

Single-cell analysis of senescent epithelia reveals targetable mechanisms promoting fibrosis.

Progressive fibrosis and maladaptive organ repair result in significant morbidity and millions of premature deaths annually. Senescent cells accumulate with aging and after injury and are implicated in organ fibrosis, but the mechanisms by which senescence influences repair are poorly understood. Using 2 murine models of injury and repair, we show that obstructive injury generated senescent epithelia, which persisted after resolution of the original injury, promoted ongoing fibrosis, and impeded adaptive repair.

Mechanosensitive Stem-Cell Genes and Klotho in Atherosclerotic Aortas: Regulating Spatially Deranged Expression Patterns Using Colchicine Regimens.

Aims: Inflammatory dysregulation of mechanosensitive developmental genes may be central to atherogenesis. In the present seven-week model, we utilized colchicine regimens to curtail aortic atherogenesis in New Zealand White rabbits. We also explored the effect of colchicine regimens on atheroprotective (, , , and ) and proatherogenic (, , , and ) genes.

Neuromuscular control of the lower extremities can be better enhanced by applying ankle taping and kinesiological taping rather than elastic bandaging: a randomized control study in amateur soccer players.

[Purpose] This study evaluated the effects of ankle elastic bandaging, taping, and kinesiology taping on the neuromuscular control of the lower extremities before and after their application and after exercise in soccer athletes. [Participants and Methods] Fifty-five amateur soccer players were randomly divided into four research sub-groups either receiving bandaging (n=15), taping (n=15), and kinesiology taping (n=15) on their ankle or serving as controls (n=10). The dynamic stability of the non-dominant limb was assessed through the star excursion balance test (SEBT) in three research conditions: a) before sports taping application, b) after the application, and c) after a 15 min laboratory simulation of soccer activities.

Stem cell genes in atheromatosis: The role of Klotho, HIF1α, OCT4, and BMP4.

During fetal development, shear stress regulates several aspects of vascular development. Alterations in signaling pathways due to disturbed flow in atheroprone regions closely mirror phenomena seen during embryogenesis. This flow-dependent dysregulation of developmental genes appears to promote atherogenesis by mediating inflammatory phenomena, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, cell migration, and oxidative stress.