Characteristics and Prognosis of Type 2 Myocardial Infarction Through Worsening Renal Function and NT-proBNP in Older Adults with Pneumonia.

Background: Type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is becoming more recognized. This study aimed to assess the factors linked to type 2 MI in older adults with pneumonia and further determine the predictive factors of 90-day adverse events (refractory heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and all-cause mortality).

Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted among older adults with pneumonia.

Circulating circRNA expression profile and its potential role in late recurrence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation post catheter ablation.

Background: Catheter-based pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an effective and well-established intervention for symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Nevertheless, late recurrences of atrial fibrillation (LRAF) occurring during 3 to 12 months are common, and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) in atrial tissue have been linked to the pathophysiological mechanisms and progression of PAF in a few studies.

An Energy Matching Vessel Segmentation Framework in 3-D Medical Images.

Accurate vascular segmentation from High Resolution 3-Dimensional (HR3D) medical scans is crucial for clinicians to visualize complex vasculature and diagnose related vascular diseases. However, a reliable and scalable vessel segmentation framework for HR3D scans remains a challenge. In this work, we propose a High-resolution Energy-matching Segmentation (HrEmS) framework that utilizes deep learning to directly process the entire HR3D scan and segment the vasculature to the finest level.

Prediction of Outcomes Through Cystatin C and cTnI in Elderly Type 2 Myocardial Infarction Patients.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are strongly associated. Cystatin C (Cys C) is a more sensitive marker of early renal insufficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic implications of combined of Cys C and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) on 90-day outcomes in elderly patients with type 2 myocardial infarction (MI).

Construction of a Non-Mutually Exclusive Decision Tree for Medication Recommendation of Chronic Heart Failure.

Although guidelines have recommended standardized drug treatment for heart failure (HF), there are still many challenges in making the correct clinical decisions due to the complicated clinical situations of HF patients. Each patient would satisfy several recommendations, meaning the decision tree of HF treatment should be nonmutually exclusive, and the same patient would be allocated to several leaf nodes in the decision tree. In the current study, we aim to propose a way to ensemble a nonmutually exclusive decision tree for recommendation system for complicated diseases, such as HF.

[Mesenchymal Stem Cells Stimulated by Growth Factors Release Exosomes with Potent Proangiogenic Activity].

Objective: To explore the proangiogenic activity of exsomes released by human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) stimulated by erythropoietin and platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB).

Methods: Human umbilical cord-derived MSCs were seeded and maintained in culture overnight. The media were then replaced by alpha-MEM containing EPO (1 U/ml) and/or PDGF-BB (50 ng/ml), and the culture was maintained for 72 hours.

Prognostic value of plasma NT-proBNP levels in very old patients with moderate renal insufficiency in China.

Background: The N‑terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has an important prognostic value in chronic renal insufficiency; however, most studies have been conducted in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In this study we evaluated the prognostic significance of NT-proBNP in very old patients with stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and compared its prognostic value in CKD3a versus CKD3b patients.

Methods: Patients (age ≥80 years old) hospitalized with stage 3 CKD from 2007 to 2010 who were eligible for this prospective study underwent follow-up examinations in 2015.

Genetic Polymorphism of CYP2C19 and Inhibitory Effects of Ticagrelor and Clopidogrel Towards Post-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) Platelet Aggregation in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to observe the effects of genetic polymorphism of CYP2C19 on inhibitory effects of ticagrelor (Tic) and clopidogrel (Clo) towards post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) platelet aggregation (IPA) and major cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). MATERIAL AND METHODS From August 2013 to March 2014, 166 patients with ACS undergoing PCI were selected. The patients were randomly grouped into the Tic group and the Clo group.

Cancer risk in older people receiving statin therapy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Although statins are well tolerated by most aged people, their potential carcinogenicity is considered as one of the biggest factors limiting the use of statins. The aim of the present study was to determine the risk of cancer in people aged over 60 years receiving statin therapy.

Methods: A comprehensive search for articles published up to December 2015 was performed, reviews of each randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the effects of statin mono-therapy with placebo on the risk of cancer in people aged > 60 years were conducted and data abstracted.

Should antiplatelet therapy be interrupted in drug eluting stent recipients throughout the periendoscopic period? A very late stent thrombosis case report and review of the literature.

In-stent thrombosis after cessation of antiplatelet medications in patients with drug-eluting stents (DES) is a significant problem in medical practice, particularly in the perioperative period. We report a case of an 87-year-old man with a medical history of hypertension, coronary artery disease and chronic atrophic gastritis. Very late thrombosis of a sirolimus-eluting stent occurred 1207 days after implantation, seven months after discontinuation of clopidogrel, and the interruption of aspirin 13 days in preparation of an elective endoscopic gastrointestinal procedure presented with acute myocardial infarction.

Extracellular vesicles derived from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells promote angiogenesis in a rat myocardial infarction model.

Unlabelled: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been increasingly tested experimentally and clinically for cardiac repair. However, the underlying mechanisms remain controversial due to the poor viability and considerable death of the engrafted cells in the infracted myocardium. Recent reports have suggested that extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by MSCs have angiogenesis-promoting activity; however, the therapeutic effect of MSC-EVs on an ischemic heart is unclear.

Rare occurrence of simultaneous coronary artery perforation and intracoronary thrombus formation following angioplasty.

Both coronary artery perforation and intracoronary thrombus formation are life-threatening complications of percutaneous coronary interventions, which rarely occur simultaneously during angioplasty. We herein report a case of stent-related, left circumflex artery perforation, and subsequently acute left main artery thrombosis after the leakage was embolized with 7 microcoils. Intracoronary thromboectomy and systemic anticoagulant therapy were carefully used with good results.

Serum uric Acid level and diverse impacts on regional arterial stiffness and wave reflection.

Background: Both increased arterial stiffness and hyperuricaemia are associated with elevated cardiovascular risks. Little is known about the relations of serum uric acid (UA) level to regional arterial stiffness and wave reflection. The aim of the study was to investigate the gender-specific association of serum UA and indices of arterial function in a community-based investigation in China.

Neuroglobin expression in rats after traumatic brain injury.

In this study, we used a rat model of severe closed traumatic brain injury to explore the relationship between neuroglobin, brain injury and neuronal apoptosis. Real-time PCR showed that neuroglobin mRNA expression rapidly increased in the rat cerebral cortex, and peaked at 30 minutes and 48 hours following traumatic brain injury. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that neuroglobin expression increased and remained high 2 hours to 5 days following injury.

Association of glomerular filtration rate with arterial stiffness in Chinese women with normal to mildly impaired renal function.

Objective: Both decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and arterial stiffness were considered as risk factors for atherosclerosis. Previous studies have suggested the association between central arterial stiffness and the degree of GFR loss. Whether decreased GFR contributes to peripheral artery stiffness remains controversial.

[Microparticles, stem cells' new mechanism for tissue repair?].

Though stem cell transplantation has been confirmed to be useful in repairing aging and diseased tissues, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In addition to soluble molecules, cells-derived membrane microparticles (MPs) are considered as new mediators served in cross-talk communication among cells. MPs are tiny membrane coated subcellular vesicles released by a variety of cell types including stem cells.

[Mesenchymal stem cells release membrane microparticles in the process of apoptosis].

Though mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been clinically used to repair a variety of damaged tissues, the underlying mechanisms remain elusively as the majority of the ex vivo expanded MSC die shortly after transplantation. To explore the mechanism in which the death cells play tissue repair effect, apoptosis of rat bone marrow MSC was induced by culturing cells in the conditions of hypoxia or/and serum-free medium, and the subcellular structures in the supernatants were analyzed. The results showed that apoptosis occurred in the presence of either hypoxia or serum-free condition as well, and the apoptotic proportion reached up to (17.

Association of serum lipids with arterial stiffness in a population-based study in Beijing.

Background: Some cardiovascular risk factors such as age, hypertension and diabetes have been confirmed to be positively correlated with arterial stiffness. However, the relationship between serum lipids and arterial stiffness is incompletely understood. Recent studies have been far from conclusive and consistent data were not obtained.

[Mesenchymal stem cells exist in the compact bones from four species of mammals].

The biological properties of cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been intensively investigated, while there is still a paucity of information about the definite in vivo sites that harbor these stem cells due to the lack of specific surface markers. Previous data have demonstrated that human and murine MSC can be isolated from the compact bones. To investigate if it is the case for other species, the femurs from Wistar rats, Beagles, C57 mice and New Zealand rabbits were collected, minced and digested with collagenase type I.

[In vivo tracing of transplanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells with bioluminescence imaging].

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based cell therapy has shifted into clinical trials to repair the damage of various tissues. In this setting, the survival of the transplanted cells contributes critically to the therapeutic effectiveness. To investigate the in vivo tracing of MSCs, a recombinant retroviral vector carrying firefly-luciferase reporter gene [pL (FLUC) SN] was constructed and several GPE+86 cell clones that stably expressed fluc were selected.

[Experimental study of effect of carvedilol on myocardial collagen network remodeling after acute myocardial infarction in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of carvedilol, irbesartan and their combination on myocardial collagen network remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in rats.

Methods: Twenty-four hours after ligating left anterior descending coronary artery, 35 surviving AMI male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control (n=8), carvedilol (n=9, 10 mg.kg(-1).