Corneal Stroma Analysis and Related Ocular Manifestations in Recovered COVID-19 Patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) on corneal stroma characteristics, ocular manifestations, and post-recovery refractive surgery outcomes after varying recovery durations.

Methods: Fresh corneal lenticules from patients with post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; recovered within 135 days) and healthy controls (HCs) after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery were obtained for experimental validation of SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, morphological changes, and immune response of the corneal stroma. Corneal optical density (CD) was measured using the Pentacam HR.

Outcomes of abdominal false lumen embolization for chronic aortic dissection after prior proximal repair with stent-graft.

Background: Persistent false lumen (FL) perfusion with aneurysmal formation is common after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for typical extended aortic dissection and is associated with poor outcomes. Endovascular FL embolization (FLE) has recently been tried for treatment of postdissection aortic aneurysm (PDAA). However, most reports address thoracic rather than abdominal FLE.

High-Dose Ionizing Radiation Accelerates Atherosclerotic Plaque Progression by Regulating P38/NCOA4-Mediated Ferritinophagy/Ferroptosis of Endothelial Cells.

Purpose: Radiation therapy (RT) significantly increased the incidence of coronary artery diseases, especially atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction has been the major side effect of RT among tumor patients who received RT. However, the involvement between endothelial dysfunction and radiation-induced atherosclerosis (RIA) remains unclear.

Identification of miR-671-5p and Its Related Pathways as General Mechanisms of Both Form-Deprivation and Lens-Induced Myopia in Mice.

Animal models have been indispensable in shaping the understanding of myopia mechanisms, with form-deprivation myopia (FDM) and lens-induced myopia (LIM) being the most utilized. Similar pathological outcomes suggest that these two models are under the control of shared mechanisms. miRNAs play an important role in pathological development.

Ginsenoside Rb1 Improves Post-Cardiac Arrest Myocardial Stunning and Cerebral Outcomes by Regulating the Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway.

The prognosis of cardiac arrest (CA) is dismal despite the ongoing progress in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). ginsenoside Rb1 (Gn-Rb1) has been verified to be cardioprotective in cardiac remodeling and cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, but its role is less known in CA. After 15 min of potassium chloride-induced CA, male C57BL/6 mice were resuscitated.

Nuclear receptor Nur77 protects against oxidative stress by maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis via regulating mitochondrial fission and mitophagy in smooth muscle cell.

Angiotensin II (AngII) induces disruption of mitochondrial homeostasis and oxidative stress. Nuclear receptor NR4A1 (Nur77) plays an important role in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) function. However, the role of Nur77 in AngII-induced mitochondrial dynamics and oxidative stress in VSMCs remains unknown.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Patients with Burns.

Background: Severely burned patients are at high risk for cardiopulmonary failure. Promising studies have stimulated interest in using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a potential therapy for burn patients with refractory cardiac and/or respiratory failure. However, the findings from previous studies vary.

Flow density of computed tomography aortography for predicting early unfavorable aortic remodeling after TEVAR in type IIIb aortic dissection.

Objective: Patients diagnosed of DeBakey type III aortic dissection with partial thrombosis of false lumen (FL) have a higher mortality rate. However, IIIb dissections with full patent FL tend to exhibit a partially thrombosed FL quickly after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR); thus, we investigated survival and aortic remodeling in this population.

Methods: We reviewed computed tomography aortograms (CTAs) of 123 patients with TEVAR-treated IIIb aortic dissections from July 2006 to June 2015; contrast density of CTAs represented intraluminal flow.

Mid-Term Outcome of Infected Abdominal Aortic Stent Graft Dismantlement with Reconstruction of Bilateral Axillofemoral Bypass.

Abdominal aortic stent graft infection (AAGI) is a severe complication. The optimal management of AAGI remains unclear. This study provides updated results of bilateral axillofemoral bypasses (AFBs) for patients with AAGI.

Macrophage-derived myeloid differentiation protein 2 plays an essential role in ox-LDL-induced inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease. Although Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) has been involved in inflammatory atherosclerosis, the exact mechanisms by which oxidized-low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL) activates TLR4 and elicits inflammatory genesis are not fully known. Myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD2) is an extracellular molecule indispensable for lipopolysaccharide recognition of TLR4.

Relationship between time-varying exposure to occupational noise and incident hypertension: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Exposure to occupational noise might increase the risk of hypertension. However, limited cohort studies have investigated the relationship between time-varying exposure to occupational noise and the development of hypertension.

Methods: We conducted a 17-year cohort study involving 2459 workers to assess the relationship between time-varying exposure to occupational noise and incident hypertension in the aerospace industry.

Celastrol Attenuates Angiotensin II-Induced Cardiac Remodeling by Targeting STAT3.

Rationale: Excessive Ang II (angiotensin II) levels lead to a profibrotic and hypertrophic milieu that produces deleterious remodeling and dysfunction in hypertension-associated heart failure. Agents that disrupt Ang II-induced cardiac dysfunction may have clinical utility in the treatment of hypertension-associated heart failure.

Objective: We have examined the potential effect of celastrol-a bioactive compound derived from the Celastraceae family-on Ang II-induced cardiac dysfunction.

Schizandrin B attenuates angiotensin II induced endothelial to mesenchymal transition in vascular endothelium by suppressing NF-κB activation.

Background: Angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced chronic inflammation and oxidative stress often leads to irreversible vascular injury, in which the endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in the endothelial layers are involved. Schisandrin B (Sch B), a natural product isolated from traditional Schisandra chinensis, has been reported to exert vascular protective properties with unclear mechanism.

Hypothesis/purpose: This study investigated the protective effects and mechanism of Sch B against Ang II-induced vascular injury.

A novel MyD88 inhibitor LM9 prevents atherosclerosis by regulating inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in macrophages.

Development of atherosclerosis involves chronic and sustained inflammation and oxidative stress. Recent studies have linked atherosclerosis to the innate immune system. Genetic deficiency in myeloid differentiation primary-response protein 88 (MyD88) protects against the development and progression of atherosclerosis.

Angiotensin II Causes Biphasic STAT3 Activation Through TLR4 to Initiate Cardiac Remodeling.

Evidence indicates that Ang II (angiotensin II) activates STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) in cardiomyocytes. However, the mechanisms underlying STAT3 activation and downstream responses are not fully known. In this study, we show that Ang II caused biphasic STAT3 activation in cardiomyocytes.

Endovascular and Hybrid Revascularization for Complicated Aorto-Iliac Occlusive Disease: Short-Term Results in Single Institute Experience.

Background: Treatment for extensive aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) includes endovascular interventions, hybrid procedures and surgical reconstruction. This study evaluated the short-term outcomes of endovascular and hybrid procedures in patients with Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus II (TASC-II) D AIOD lesions.

Materials And Methods: From January 2013 to June 2015, 41 patients with TASC-II D AIOD lesions who underwent revascularization at our institute were retrospectively included.

Interactions of Genes and Sodium Intake on the Development of Hypertension: A Cohort-Based Case-Control Study.

There have been few studies investigating interactions of G-protein beta3 subunit () C825T (rs5443) and dietary sodium intake on the risk of hypertension, i.e., BP salt sensitivity.

An Aza resveratrol-chalcone derivative 6b protects mice against diabetic cardiomyopathy by alleviating inflammation and oxidative stress.

Inflammation and oxidative stress play a crucial role in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). We previously had synthesized an Aza resveratrol-chalcone derivative 6b, of which effectively suppressing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in macrophages. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effect of 6b on DCM and underlying mechanism.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support may be a lifesaving modality in patients with burn and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome: Experience of Formosa Water Park dust explosion disaster in Taiwan.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been reported to improve outcomes in patients with refractory respiratory failure. These successful experiences have stimulated interest in using ECMO as a potential therapy for patients with acute pulmonary failure resulting from burn and inhalation lung injury. Current literature has supported the use of ECMO in critically-ill, pediatric burn patients.