Interleukin-33/ST2 axis involvement in atrial remodeling and arrhythmogenesis.

Interleukin (IL)-33, a cytokine involved in immune responses, can activate its receptor, suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2), is elevated during atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the role of IL-33/ST2 signaling in atrial arrhythmia is unclear. This study explored the pathological effects of the IL-33/ST2 axis on atrial remodeling and arrhythmogenesis.

Melatonin Inhibits NF-κB/CREB/Runx2 Signaling and Alleviates Aortic Valve Calcification.

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is linked to high mortality. Melatonin inhibits nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB), contributing to CAVD progression. This study determined the role of melatonin/MT1/MT2 signaling in valvular interstitial cell (VIC) calcification.

Association between sleep disorder and atrial fibrillation: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Objectives: Sleep disorder (SD), especially sleep apnea, and its effect on atrial fibrillation (AF) are gathering attention. However, other SDs may also play an essential role in AF. The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of other SDs on the risk of atrial fibrillation development.

The Prediction Model of Medical Expenditure Appling Machine Learning Algorithm in CABG Patients.

Most patients face expensive healthcare management after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, which brings a substantial financial burden to the government. The National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) is a complete database containing over 99% of individuals' medical information in Taiwan. Our research used the latest data that selected patients who accepted their first CABG surgery between January 2014 and December 2017 ( = 12,945) to predict which factors will affect medical expenses, and built the prediction model using different machine learning algorithms.

Machine-Learning Techniques for Feature Selection and Prediction of Mortality in Elderly CABG Patients.

Coronary artery bypass surgery grafting (CABG) is a commonly efficient treatment for coronary artery disease patients. Even if we know the underlying disease, and advancing age is related to survival, there is no research using the one year before surgery and operation-associated factors as predicting elements. This research used different machine-learning methods to select the features and predict older adults' survival (more than 65 years old).

Hydrogen Sulfide Attenuates Aortic Remodeling in Aortic Dissection Associating with Moderated Inflammation and Oxidative Stress through a NO-Dependent Pathway.

Aortic dissection (AD) is a highly lethal vascular disease characterized by separation of the constituent layers of the aortic wall. An increasing body of research indicates that inflammatory response and oxidative stress are implicated in vascular remodeling, which plays a key role in the development of AD. Hydrogen sulfide (HS) has been found to protect against various types of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction, arthrosclerosis, and hypertension.

Toll-like receptor 4 activation modulates pericardium-myocardium interactions in lipopolysaccharide-induced atrial arrhythmogenesis.

Aims: Inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). Pericarditis enhanced atrial arrhythmogenesis, but the role of the pericardium remains unclear in AF. Activation of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by binding to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) promotes cardiac electrical remodelling.

Evolution of pulmonary valve reconstruction with focused review of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene handmade valves.

Objectives: Many surgeons develop unique techniques for unmet needs for right ventricular outflow reconstruction to resolve pulmonary regurgitation after corrective surgery for congenital heart diseases. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) stands out as a reliable synthetic material, and clinical results with handmade ePTFE valves have been promising. This review focuses on the historical evolution of the use of ePTFE in pulmonary valve replacement and in the techniques for pioneering the translation of the handmade ePTFE trileaflet design for the transcatheter approach.

Vascular endothelial growth factor on Runt-related transcript factor-2 in aortic valve cells.

Background: Calcific aortic valve disease is associated with ageing and high mortality. However, no effective pharmacological treatment has been developed. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor are overexpressed in the calcified aortic valve tissue.

Mechanical or biological heart valve for dialysis-dependent patients? A meta-analysis.

Objective: The optimal selection of prosthetic heart valve for dialysis-dependent patients remains controversial. We investigated the comparative effectiveness and safety of mechanical prosthesis (MP) and bioprosthesis (BP) for these patients.

Methods: After the systematic review, we included studies that involved patients on dialysis undergoing aortic valve replacement or mitral valve replacement (MVR) and reported comparative outcomes of MP and BP.

HDAC I inhibitor regulates RUNX2 transactivation through canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling in aortic valvular interstitial cells.

Objectives: The cellular mechanisms of calcific aortic valve (AV) disease and optimal medications for its treatment are poorly elucidated. Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β and non-canonical wingless-related integration site (Wnt) signaling play crucial roles in regulating the pathogenesis of valvular interstitial cell (VIC) calcification. Histone acetylation was found to regulate VIC calcification.

Histone deacetylase inhibition attenuates atrial arrhythmogenesis in sterile pericarditis.

Cardiac surgery is complicated with atrial fibrillation (AF). Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition reduces AF occurrence. In pericarditis, HDAC inhibition may modulate AF trigger and substrate.

Activated p300 acetyltransferase activity modulates aortic valvular calcification with osteogenic transdifferentiation and downregulation of Klotho.

Background: The calcific aortic valve (AV) disease is a common disease with the unclear mechanism, and optimal pharmacological treatment remains unavailable. Epigenetic modulation by histone acetyltransferase (HAT) plays a critical role in osteogenic transdifferentiation and atherosclerosis. The purposes of this study were to investigate whether HAT contributes to the pathophysiology of AV calcification and assess the therapeutic potential of HAT inhibition.

Tetrandrine increased the survival rate of mice with lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia.

Background: Endotoxemia usually causes significant morbidity and mortality, and treatment of endotoxemia is often ineffective. The effects of tetrandrine (a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia were investigated in mice.

Methods: The peritoneal macrophages were stimulated with LPS and treated with or without tetrandrine.

Innominate artery cannulation for aortic surgery.

When disease involving the ascending aorta or aortic arch precludes ascending aortic cannulation, axillary artery cannulation is used for cardiopulmonary bypass. An additional incision and the relatively small caliber of the axillary artery are the drawbacks of this approach. Innominate artery cannulation using the same sternotomy wound is a simple and effective alternative.

Spiral saphenous vein graft for portal vein reconstruction in pancreatic cancer surgery.

The curative strategy for most pancreatic cancer is surgical resection. Extensive resection with lymph node dissection is the key to providing long-term survival. However, early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is not always possible (ie, resectability is limited).

Less invasive mitral valve surgery via right minithoracotomy.

Background/purpose: Current trends in cardiac surgical intervention are moving toward less invasiveness, with smaller wound or sternum-sparing, less pump time or off-pump, and beating rather than arrested heart. Data on the efficacy and safety of these newer less invasive techniques, as well as their cosmetic results, are limited. This study analyzed the results of a sternum-sparing mitral valve operation.