Altered serum microRNAs as novel diagnostic biomarkers for atypical coronary artery disease.

Background And Aim: Atypical coronary artery disease (ACAD) is characterized by atypical angina pectoris or silent myocardial ischemia. However, conventional diagnostic techniques are insufficient to identify this subtype of coronary atherosclerotic pathology, and specific and sensitive markers for diagnosing ACAD are still currently lacking. The aim of the present study is to identify a novel serum microRNA (miRNA) expression profile of ACAD patients and evaluate its clinical diagnostic value.

MicroRNA expression profile in myocardial bridging patients.

Background: Myocardial bridging (MB), a common benign coronary anomaly, may bring about some unwanted complications such as angina-like chest pain. The only way of MB detection is coronary arteriography or coronary computed tomographic angiography, which is costly and invasive. This study intended to profile a panel of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of MB.

Oscillating high glucose enhances oxidative stress and apoptosis in human coronary artery endothelial cells.

Purpose: To investigate the toxic effect of oscillating high glucose (OHG) versus persistent high glucose (PHG) in inducing oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) in vitro.

Methods: HCAECs were incubated for 72 h continuously in normal glucose (5.5 mmol/L glucose), PHG (25 mmol/L glucose), OHG (5.

Xuezhikang attenuated the functional and morphological impairment of pancreatic islets in diabetic mice via the inhibition of oxidative stress.

Xuezhikang, purified from red yeast rice, is a traditional Chinese medicine with pleiotropic effects on the cardiovascular system. Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the dysfunction of pancreas islet in diabetic condition and represents a promising therapeutical target for diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the effects and possible mechanisms of xuezhikang on the microenvironment and insulin secretion by pancreatic islets in db/db diabetic mice.

Potential mechanism for endothelial progenitor cell therapy in acute myocardial infarction: Activation of VEGF- PI3K/Akte-NOS pathway.

Mounting evidence suggests that transplanting endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) into the myocardium improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction (MI). However, the mechanism remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the role played by the VEGF- PI3K/Akt-eNOS pathway in EPC-based cell therapy.

Acute myocardial infarction caused by tumor-associated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: case report.

Objective: To describe a case with acute myocardial infarction caused by gastric carcinoma-associated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Clinical Presentation And Intervention: A 79-year-old man was admitted with abdominal pain and pyrexia. He later developed cardiac complications and microangiopathy that indicated worsening progression.

Association of pericardial adipose tissue volume with presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

Purpose: This study was to investigate whether high pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) volume is related to the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: Consecutive patients (310 patients) who underwent both dual-source 64-slice CT and percutaneous coronary angiography were recruited into this study. Waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), blood biochemical variables, coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and Gensini score were measured.

Periodic vs constant high glucose in inducing pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in human coronary artery endothelial cells.

Objective And Design: Fluctuating hyperglycemia exerts a more deleterious effect than constant hyperglycemia on cardiovascular outcome in diabetic patients. We investigated the inflammatory responses of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) to constant and periodic high glucose in vitro.

Material And Treatment: HCAECs were incubated for 72 h continuously either in normal glucose (5.

Effect of ezetimibe on insulin secretion in db/db diabetic mice.

Objective: To investigate the effect of ezetimibe on the insulin secretion in db/db mice.

Methods: The db/db diabetic mice aged 8 weeks were randomly assigned into 2 groups and intragastrically treated with ezetimibe or placebo for 6 weeks. The age matched db/m mice served as controls.

Reversible cardiogenic shock caused by atrioventricular junctional rhythm after percutaneous coronary intervention.

An 82-year-old female patient undergoing cardiogenic shock caused by atrioventricular junctional rhythm immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is described. Pharmacotherapy was invalid, and subsequent application of atrial pacing reversed the cardiogenic shock. PCI-related injury of sinuatrial nodal artery leading to acute atrial contractility loss, accompanied by atrioventricular junctional arrhythmia, was diagnosed.

Glucose metabolism in outpatients with new-onset hypertension in Chinese Han population.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of glucose abnormalities in a Chinese Han population with untreated new-onset hypertension. Four hundred and ninety-nine new-onset hypertensive patients without diabetes were enrolled in this study. An abnormal glucose metabolism was diagnosed in 57.

Erythropoietin improves the efficiency of endothelial progenitor cell therapy after myocardial infarction in mice: effects on transplanted cell survival and autologous endothelial progenitor cell mobilization.

Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) participate in vascular repair and angiogenesis. Thus, EPC transplantation into ischemic myocardium might improve cardiac function; however, the vast majority of cells die within a short period. The present study was designed to investigate whether exogenous erythropoietin (EPO) delivery could improve the survival of transplanted EPCs and enhance the efficiency of EPC-based cell therapy.

Protective effect of ligustrazine against myocardial ischaemia reperfusion in rats: the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

1. The aim of the present study was to determine whether ligustrazine (2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine; TMP) exerts a cardioprotective effect during myocardial ischaemia reperfusion (IR), and to investigate the underlying mechanisms and the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in cardioprotection. 2.

[Effect of depside salt from salvia miltiorrhizae in repairing advanced glycation end products-induced late endothelial progenitor cell dysfunction and its molecular mechanism].

Objective: To investigate the effects of depside salt from salvia miltiorrhizae (DSSM) in repairing advanced glycation end products (AGE)-induced late endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) dysfunction, and its possible molecular mechanism.

Methods: Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were separated using density gradient centrifugation from human umbilical cord blood, and cultured with EGM-2-MV culture fluid to late EPCs. Then the EPCs were divided into 5 groups: Group A incubated with 200 microg/mL AGE-modified bovine serum albumin (AGE-albumin) alone (A), Groups B, C and D with equal dosage of AGE-albumin plus DSSM at different dosages (0.

Diagnostic accuracy of dual-source CT coronary angiography: The effect of average heart rate, heart rate variability, and calcium score in a clinical perspective.

Background: Dual-source CT coronary angiography (CTCA) has been used to detect coronary artery disease; however, the factors with potential to affect its diagnostic accuracy remain to be defined.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the accuracy of dual-source CTCA in diagnosing coronary artery stenosis according to conventional coronary angiography (CAG), and the effect of average heart rate, heart rate variability, and calcium score on the accuracy of CTCA.

Material And Methods: A total of 113 patients underwent both dual-source CTCA and CAG.

[Membrane testosterone receptors in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells].

Objective: To determine the presence of membrane testosterone receptors in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), and investigate their relationship with classical intracellular androgen receptors (iAR).

Methods: VSMCs were cultured from the thoracic aorta of male Sprague-Dawley rats by the explant method. Subconfluent VSMCs were incubated with serum-free medium for 24 h to obtain quiescent non-dividing cells, and then treated with the indicated agents.

[Testosterone therapy improves cardiac function of male rats with right heart failure].

Objective: Clinical studies have shown decreased levels of sexual hormones, particularly testosterone deficiency, in men with chronic heart failure (CHF). The authors aimed to investigate the effect of testosterone on cardiac function and the possible mechanism of androgen protecting the heart in male rats.

Methods: Forty-three male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: right heart failure (RHF, n = 15), physiologic testosterone treatment (TT, n = 15) and control (n = 13).

[Testosterone at physiological level inhibits PGF2alpha-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells].

Objective: To explore the acute effects of testosterone at the physiological level on PGF2alpha-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

Methods: VSMCs from the thoracic aorta of male Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured using the explant method. The subconfluent VSMCs were incubated with serum-free medium for 24 hours to obtain quiescent non-dividing cells and then treated with the indicated agents.

Racial differences in coronary artery lesions: a comparison of coronary artery lesions between mainland Chinese and Australian patients.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare coronary lesions in mainland Chinese and Australians using coronary angiography (CAG).

Methods And Results: 6251 suspected coronary heart disease (CHD) patients (3021 Chinese patients from Nanjing and 3230 Australian patients from Sydney) who underwent a CAG between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2003, were studied. Of these, 69.

Apoptosis and expression of uncoupling protein-2 in pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy.

Objective: To explore the possible role of uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) in cardiomyocyte apoptosis in pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).

Methods And Results: Pressure overload was developed in 21 Sprague-Dawley rats by thoracic aortic constriction at 12 weeks of age. An equal number of sham-operated, age-matched rats served as controls.

Comparison of results and complications of surgical and Amplatzer device closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects.

Background: Surgery for perimembranous ventricular septal defects (VSD) is widely accepted procedure with minimal operative mortality. Recent publications have reported the feasible, safe, and effective with the new Amplatzer VSD occluder. This study was done to compare the effectiveness, cost, and complications of both the techniques.

[Efficacy of adaptive pressure support servo-ventilation in patients with congestive heart failure and Cheyne-Stokes respiration].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of adaptive pressure support servo-ventilation (APSSV) on Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) in congestive heart failure (CHF).

Methods: 14 patients with CHF and CSR were recruited. During sleep, oxygen therapy and APSSV were separately performed.