[Effects of virtual reality in phase I cardiac rehabilitation training for elderly coronary heart disease patients after percutaneous coronary intervention].

The study aimed to examine the effects of virtual reality (VR) technology-based phase I cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program in elderly coronary heart disease (CHD) patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Thirty-six cases of elderly CHD patients who underwent PCI in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from June 2022 to April 2023 were recruited by convenience sampling method. The patients were randomly assigned by means of random digital table method to two study groups: control group (n = 18), which received conventional nursing intervention after PCI, and experimental group (n = 18), which received a combined program of conventional nursing intervention together with CR program based on VR technology.

Association between serum copper level and reproductive health of Women in the United States: a cross-sectional study.

Copper is an indispensable trace element in metabolism. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between copper and reproductive health, and possibly provide new insights for diagnosis and treatment. This study was based on data extracted from the NHANES database (2013-2014 and 2015-2016).

iNOS regulates activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome through the sGC/cGMP/PKG/TACE/TNF-α axis in response to cigarette smoke resulting in aortic endothelial pyroptosis and vascular dysfunction.

Background: Cigarette smoke (CS) is associated with vascular injury and dysfunction, which may be mediated by iNOS and NLRP3. However, the exact mechanism is unknown.

Methods: iNOS-knockout and NLRP3-knockout C57BL/6 mice were exposed to air or CS.

Phosphorylation of Akt at Thr308 regulates p-eNOS Ser1177 during physiological conditions.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-derived nitric oxide (NO) plays a crucial role in maintaining vascular homeostasis. As a hallmark of eNOS activation, phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1177 induced by activated protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) is pivotal for NO production. The complete activation of Akt requires its phosphorylation of both Thr308 and Ser473.

Alcohol consumption may not affect the diameter of the coronary arteries in men with chest pain.

Objective: The effect of alcohol consumption on the risk of coronary heart disease is controversial. Several studies have assessed the effects of alcohol on the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, but few studies have evaluated the chronic effects of alcohol consumption on the coronary artery diameter. We investigated whether alcohol consumption affects the coronary artery diameter.

D-dimer level and long-term outcome in patients with end-stage heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Previous studies had demonstrated hemostatic abnormalities in patients with heart failure (HF) and several studies have shown that abnormal coagulation indices, represented by elevated D-dimer, had prognostic significance in patients with compatible or acute decompensated HF. However, the impact of D-dimer on the outcome in patients with end-stage HF remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 244 consecutive patients with end-stage HF due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were prospectively enrolled from February 2011 to September 2014.

The use status of anticoagulation drugs for inpatients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in Southwest China.

Background: Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are effective for the prophylaxis of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the status of anticoagulation treatment for hospitalized AF patients in Southwest China.

Methods: A total of 4760 hospitalized patients with AF were enrolled from 21 hospitals in Chongqing city from January 1 to December 31, 2013.

The -137G/C single nucleotide polymorphism in IL-18 gene promoter contributes to tuberculosis susceptibility in Chinese Han population.

Background: Interleukin (IL) -18 is crucial to host defense against mycobacterial infections. Recent studies have indicated IL-18 gene polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to several clinical diseases.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the association of IL-18 (-137G/C and -607C/A) gene promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB), and the effects of those SNPs to its protein producing capacity in Chinese Han population.