Risk of intracranial hemorrhage after carotid artery stenting versus endarterectomy: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVEIntracranial hemorrhage (ICH) associated with cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome is a rare but major complication of carotid artery revascularization. The objective of this study was to compare the rate of ICH after carotid artery stenting (CAS) with that after endarterectomy (CEA).METHODSThe authors performed a retrospective population-based cohort study of patients who underwent carotid artery revascularization in the province of Ontario, Canada, between 2002 and 2015.

HCV nonstructural protein 4 is associated with aggressiveness features of breast cancer.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has the lymphotropic feature that is supposed to be the reason of related extrahepatic manifestation. HCV viral oncoproteins may participate in the regulation of some gene expression that has been implicated in tumorigenesis. Our aim is to evaluate the HCV-NS4 circulating levels in breast cancer (BC) and to investigate its relation with BC tumor aggressiveness.

Loss of vascular smooth muscle cell autophagy exacerbates angiotensin II-associated aortic remodeling.

Objective: The pathophysiologic processes of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and atherosclerosis often intersect. Given that anomalies in vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) autophagy have been noted in models of atherosclerosis, we sought to evaluate the potential role that SMC autophagy may play in the initiation and progression of AAAs.

Methods: Studies were conducted in ATG7SM22α-Cre (SMC ATG7 knockout [SMC-ATG7-KO]) and ATG7; SM22α-Cre (SMC ATG7 wild-type [SMC-ATG7-WT]) littermates that were continuously infused with angiotensin II (Ang II; 1.

Concise Review: Cell Therapy for Critical Limb Ischemia: An Integrated Review of Preclinical and Clinical Studies.

Critical limb ischemia (CLI), the most severe form of peripheral artery disease, is characterized by pain at rest and non-healing ulcers in the lower extremities. For patients with CLI, where the extent of atherosclerotic artery occlusion is too severe for surgical bypass or percutaneous interventions, limb amputation remains the only treatment option. Thus, cell-based therapy to restore perfusion and promote wound healing in patients with CLI is under intense investigation.

Renin-angiotensin system blockade does not attenuate abdominal aortic aneurysm growth, rupture rate, or perioperative mortality after elective repair.

Objective: The objective of this study was to summarize the literature regarding the effects of renin-angiotensin system blockade (RASB) using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) on human abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) growth, rupture, and perioperative mortality.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Our review protocol was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42016054082).

Lingual mucosal graft two-stage Bracka technique for redo hypospadias repair.

Objectives: To report our initial experience in redo hypospadias repair with a lingual mucosal graft (LMG) using a two-stage Bracka technique.

Patients And Methods: This study was prospectively conducted and included 26 patients with hypospadias with failed previous repairs. All the patients had a LMG using a two-stage Bracka technique.

Silodosin in the treatment of distal ureteric stones in children: A prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled study.

Objectives: To evaluate the possible role of silodosin (a highly selective α-adrenoceptor antagonist) in facilitating the passage of distal ureteric stones (DUS) in children, as the role of α-blockers as medical expulsive therapy is well known in adults.

Patients And Methods: In all, 40 paediatric patients (27 boys and 13 girls) diagnosed with unilateral, single, radiopaque DUS of <10 mm were included in the study. Their mean (SD, range) age was 8.

Dielectric properties and carbothermic reduction of zinc oxide and zinc ferrite by microwave heating.

This paper aims to study the dielectric properties and carbothermic reduction of zinc oxide (zincite, ZnO) and zinc ferrite (franklinite, ZnFeO) by microwave heating. To achieve this aim, the dielectric properties were measured with an open-ended coaxial method to understand the behaviour of the samples under microwave irradiation. The effects of microwave power, duration time and sample mass on the heating rate, and the effects of the stoichiometric amount of graphite on the reduction of ZnO and decomposition of ZnFeO were investigated.

Fibro-Mark: a panel of laboratory parameters for predicting significant fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background: Fibrosis markers are useful for the prediction of cirrhosis but clinical scores such as King's score, AST-Platelet ratio index (APRI), Biotechnology research center (BRC), Fibrosis routine test (FRT), Fibro-α score and Fibro-quotient (FibroQ) have limited accuracy for diagnosing significant fibrosis. We hypothesised that new markers (reflecting the balance between hepatic fibrogenesis and fibrolysis) together with other indirect fibrosis markers would together construct a more sensitive and specific score capable of identifying fibrosis than existing scores.

Methods: Collagen IV, hyaluronic acid, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) were measured by ELISA, and AST, ALT, platelet count, albumin, total bilirubin, INR and AFP by routine methods in 148 patients with hepatitis C induced liver disease.

Association between operator specialty and outcomes after carotid artery revascularization.

Objective: To examine the association between operator specialty and 30-day outcomes among patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting.

Methods: We conducted a population-based, observational cohort study of all individuals who underwent carotid endarterectomy or stenting in Ontario, Canada (population, 13.6 million) between April 1, 2002, and March 1, 2015, using administrative claims databases.

Combined use of nuclear phosphoprotein c-Myc and cellular phosphoprotein p53 for hepatocellular carcinoma detection in high-risk chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a multistage process resulting from various genetic changes. We aimed to determine nuclear phosphoprotein c-Myc and cellular phosphoprotein p53 expression and to evaluate their importance in HCC diagnosis.

Methods: One hundred and twenty chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients (60 non-HCC CHC patients and 60 HCC patients who had a single small (<5 cm) tumour) were recruited.

Fingerprint of long non-coding RNA regulated by cyclic mechanical stretch in human aortic smooth muscle cells: implications for hypertension.

Emerging evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a cellular hub coordinating various cellular processes that are critical in health and disease. Mechanical stress triggers changes in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) that in turn contribute to pathophysiological changes within the vasculature. We sought to evaluate the role that lncRNAs play in mechanical stretch-induced alterations of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs).

Development and evaluation of a novel score for prediction of large oesophageal varices in patients with hepatitis c virus-induced liver cirrhosis.

Objective: Variceal bleeding is one of the most common life-threatening complications of liver cirrhosis. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a predictive score, named Platelet count, Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and Prothrombin-INR (PAP) for the prediction of large oesophageal varices and to compare PAP score with eight common liver fibrosis scores (AAR, APRI, GUCI, BRC score, Fibro-Alfa, FIB4, Lok and Fibro-Q) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) induced liver cirrhosis.

Methods: A total of 277 patients with HCV-induced liver cirrhosis were evaluated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for presence of varices.

Long-term Outcomes of Carotid Endarterectomy Versus Stenting in a Multicenter Population-based Canadian Study.

Objective: To compare the long-term outcomes of patients treated with carotid endarterectomy and carotid-artery stenting.

Background: Evidence for the long-term safety and efficacy of carotid-artery stenting compared with endarterectomy is accumulating from randomized trials. However, comparative data on the long-term outcomes of carotid revascularization strategies in real world practice are lacking.

Feasibility and Safety of Transulnar Catheterization in Ipsilateral Radial Artery Occlusion.

To investigate the postprocedural cardiovascular events and vascular outcomes, including hand ischemia and neurological compromise, after transulnar (TU) catheterization in ipsilateral radial artery occlusion.Previous randomized trials have shown that the transulnar (TU) approach for coronary angiogram and intervention has safety and outcomes similar to those of the transradial (TR) approach. However, the safety of the TU procedure when ipsilateral radial artery occlusion occurs is unknown.

Towards Reaching Human Performance in Pedestrian Detection.

Encouraged by the recent progress in pedestrian detection, we investigate the gap between current state-of-the-art methods and the "perfect single frame detector". We enable our analysis by creating a human baseline for pedestrian detection (over the Caltech pedestrian dataset). After manually clustering the frequent errors of a top detector, we characterise both localisation and background-versus-foreground errors.

W-pouch With Modified Non-isolated Extra Limb for Continence in Cutaneous Diversion After Radical Cystectomy.

Objective: To report the functional results of continent cutaneous ileal urinary diversion using modified W-pouch with non-isolated extra limb for continence.

Patients And Methods: From January 2013 to January 2016, 21 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer with median (interquartile range) of 59 (56.5-62.

Endothelial-specific deletion of autophagy-related 7 (ATG7) attenuates arterial thrombosis in mice.

Background: Thrombosis persists as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Given that endothelial cells (ECs) play a central role in regulating thrombosis, understanding the molecular endothelial cues that regulate susceptibility or resistance to thrombosis have important translational implications. Accordingly, we evaluated the role of endothelial autophagy in the development of thrombosis.

Circulating levels of collagen III and MMP-1 in patients with chronic hepatitis C co-infected with hepatitis B virus.

Background: There is controversial data in the literature about the characteristics and features of dual hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection. This work is concerned with estimating the extent to which HBV could influence circulating levels of hepatitis C viral nonstructural-4 (HCV-NS4) in addition to some direct fibrosis markers in chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: Thirty-eight HCV mono-infected and 87 HCV/HBV co-infected patients constituted this study.

Endothelial long non-coding RNAs regulated by oxidized LDL.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, in part via an effect to promote endothelial dysfunction. In the present study, we evaluated the expression profiles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and protein-coding mRNAs in endothelial cells following oxLDL stimulation. LncRNAs and mRNAs from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were profiled with the Arraystar Human lncRNA Expression Microarray V3.

Sildenafil citrate in combination with tamsulosin versus tamsulosin monotherapy for management of male lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the additive effect of sildenafil citrate to tamsulosin in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) in men with or without erectile dysfunction (ED).

Patients And Methods: In all, 150 men with untreated LUTS/BPH with or without ED were randomised to receive sildenafil 25 mg once daily (OD) or placebo OD (night time) combined with tamsulosin 0.4 mg OD (day time) for 6 months.