Abnormal inter-ventricular diastolic mechanical delay in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the ventricular mechanical relaxation pattern and its clinical influence in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: Echocardiography was performed to measure mitral and tricuspid diastolic opening times. Left ventricular diastolic mechanical delay (LVMDd) was defined as diastolic filling of the right ventricle earlier than that of the left ventricle, and right ventricular diastolic mechanical delay (RVMDd) was defined as the right ventricular diastolic filling later than left ventricular filling.

Coronary microcirculation dysfunction evaluated by myocardial contrast echocardiography predicts poor prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: The mortality rate of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains substantial, despite advances in treatment strategies. Coronary microcirculation dysfunction (CMD) persists after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a substantial proportion of STEMI patients. The association between CMD assessed using myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) and prognosis requires further elucidation.

Analyte-triggered in situ "off-on" of Tyndall effect for smartphone-based quantitative nanosensing of Ag ions.

This work describes two new colorimetric methods for smartphone-based point-of-care nanosensing of toxic Ag ions. They were based on the analyte-triggered in situ "off-on" of Tyndall effect (TE) of non-plasmonic colloid or plasmonic metal nanoprobes. The first TE-inspired assay (TEA) focused on the initial analytical application of precipitation reactions where a non-plasmonic AgCl colloid could be formed once mixing the analyte with a NaCl solution.

Left ventricular function and coronary microcirculation in patients with mild reduced ejection fraction after STEMI.

Background: The characteristics of heart failure (HF) with mildly reduced ejection fraction (EF) (HFmrEF) overlap with those of HF with reduced EF (HFrEF) and HF with preserved EF (HFpEF) and need to be further explored. This study aimed to evaluate left ventricular (LV) function and coronary microcirculation in patients with mildly reduced ejection fraction after acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: We enrolled 119 patients with STEMI who had undergone speckle tracking imaging and myocardial contrast echocardiography during hospitalization from June 2016 to June 2021.

Variables associated with pulmonary hypertension screened by echocardiography in chronic myeloid leukemia patients on dasatinib therapy.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a rare but life-threatening adverse event (AE) of dasatinib, but the associated variables are not clear. This study aimed to explore the variables associated with PH by echocardiography in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase (CML-CP) receiving dasatinib therapy.

Methods: Echocardiography was performed to estimate the probability of PH and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP).

Usefulness of echocardiographic myocardial work in evaluating the microvascular perfusion in STEMI patients after revascularization.

Background: Left ventricular myocardial work (MW) assessed by echocardiography has recently been introduced as a new index of global and regional myocardial performance. The presence of microvascular obstruction after revascularization in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients predicts poor clinical outcomes. This study aimed to explore the usefulness of MW in identifying impaired microvascular perfusion (MVP) in the patients with STEMI after revascularization.

Echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy and geometry in Chinese chronic hemodialysis patients: the prevalence and determinants.

Background: To investigate the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and explore left ventricular geometry in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, and to explore the risk factors of LVH which is an important predictor of cardiovascular events.

Methods: The subjects were patients who are on MHD for more than 3 months in Peking University People's Hospital from March 2015 to February 2017. Demographic and clinical data were retrospectively collected.

A Comparative Study of Systolic and Diastolic Mechanical Synchrony in Canine, Primate, and Healthy and Failing Human Hearts.

Mechanical dyssynchrony (MD) is associated with heart failure (HF) and may be prognostically important in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Yet, little is known about its patterns in healthy or diseased hearts. We here investigate and compare systolic and diastolic MD in both right (RV) and left ventricles (LV) of canine, primate and healthy and failing human hearts.

Ultrasensitive visual detection of Hg ions via the Tyndall effect of gold nanoparticles.

This work reports a new methodology for naked-eye nanosensing of Hg where the Tyndall effect of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) acts as a light scattering signalling readout. Its utility is demonstrated with ultrasensitive detection of the target with a limit down to 0.13 nM (∼5461-fold sensitivity improvement over conventional GNP-based methods with surface plasmon resonance signalling).

Transforming glucose into fluorescent graphene quantum dots microwave radiation for sensitive detection of Al ions based on aggregation-induced enhanced emission.

This paper initially describes a nanosensor for fluorescence detection of Al3+ ions by using graphene quantum dots (GQDs) that are synthesized via microwave-assisted single-step ring-closure condensation of glucose molecules. The one-pot synthesis strategy based on the microwave radiation could be finished in several minutes and no post-modification of the GQDs was required. In particular, the GQD nanoprobes showed a sensitive and specific fluorescence enhancement response to Al3+.

Fluorescent kinetics combined with fourth-order calibration for the determination of diclofenac sodium in environmental water.

A method that combines five-way fluorescence kinetics with fourth-order calibration for interference-free quantification of diclofenac sodium in river water was proposed and tested. Traditional fluorescence methods may not be suitable for such measurements since the fluorescence properties of the analyte are highly dependent on both pH and irradiation time in situ. In the method considered here, a five-way emission-excitation-time-pH data array was obtained from the samples by introducing the pH level and irradiation time as two extra modes.

Low Transvalvular Flow Rate Predicts Mortality in Patients With Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis Following Aortic Valve Intervention.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the value of low transvalvular flow rate (FR) for the prediction of mortality compared with low stroke volume index (SVi) in patients with low-gradient (mean gradient: <40 mm Hg), low aortic valve area (<1 cm) aortic stenosis (AS) following aortic valve intervention.

Background: Transaortic FR defined as stroke volume/left ventricular ejection time is also a marker of flow; however, no data exist comparing the relative prognostic value of these 2 transvalvular flow markers in patients with low-gradient AS who had undergone valve intervention.

Methods: We retrospectively followed prospectively assessed consecutive patients with low-gradient, low aortic valve area AS who underwent aortic valve intervention between 2010 and 2014 for all-cause mortality.

Decreased Diagnostic Accuracy of Multislice Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography in Women with Atypical Angina Symptoms.

Background: Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) coronary angiography (CAG) is a noninvasive technique with a reported high diagnostic accuracy for coronary artery disease (CAD). Women, more frequently than men, are known to develop atypical angina symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the diagnostic accuracy of MSCT in women with atypical presentation differs from that in men.

Study on the Identification of Radix Bupleuri from Its Unofficial Varieties Based on Discrete Wavelet Transformation Feature Extraction of ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy Combined with Probability Neural Network.

The attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was employed to acquire the infrared spectra of Radix Bupleuri and its unofficial varieties: the root of Bupleurum smithii Wolff and the root of Bupleurum bicaule Helm. The infrared spectra and spectra of Fourier self-deconvolution (FSD), discrete wavelet transform (DWT), and probability neural network (PNN) of these species were analyzed. By the method of FSD, there were conspicuous differences of the infrared absorption peak intensity of different types between Radix Bupleuri and its unofficial varieties.

[Protein interacting with kinase Cα mediates the down-regulation of myocardial norepinephrine transporter expression in mice with adriamycin-induced congestive heart failure].

Objective: To investigate the interaction between myocardial norepinephrine (NET) and protein interacting with kinase Cα (PICK1), and examine the myocardial expression pattern of NET and PICK1 in mice with adriamycin-induced congestive heart failure.

Methods: (1) Cellular experiments: 293T cells were transfected with NET, GFP-PICK1, NET+GFP-PICK1 or NET+GFP-PICK1(KD-AA), respectively. Immunofluorescence staining was performed 48 h after the transfection.

[Simvastatin suppress lipopolysaccharides induced upregulation of lipoprotein associated phospholipase A(2) expression in macrophages via inactivation of p38MAPK pathway].

Objective: To investigate the effects of simvastatin on lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced upregulation of Lp-PLA(2) in human peripheral blood monocytes-macrophages and the related mechanisms.

Methods: Peripheral blood monocytes of healthy volunteer were isolated and incubated for 2-3 days. Monocytes were incubated with various concentrations of LPS for 6 h or with 1 µg/ml of LPS for different times in LPS group.

PICK1 regulates the trafficking of ASIC1a and acidotoxicity in a BAR domain lipid binding-dependent manner.

Background: Acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a) is the major ASIC subunit determining acid-activated currents in brain neurons. Recent studies show that ASIC1a play critical roles in acid-induced cell toxicity. While these studies raise the importance of ASIC1a in diseases, mechanisms for ASIC1a trafficking are not well understood.

oxHDL decreases the expression of CD36 on human macrophages through PPARgamma and p38 MAP kinase dependent mechanisms.

CD36, belongs to class B scavenger receptor family, is a macrophage receptor for oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and has been proven to play a critical role in atherosclerotic foam cell formation. In addition, CD36 expression is regulated by many factors including oxLDL and HDL. A recent study suggests that CD36 can also bind with oxidized high-density lipoprotein (oxHDL).

PICK1 deficiency causes male infertility in mice by disrupting acrosome formation.

Protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1) is a peripheral membrane protein involved in protein trafficking, a function that has been well characterized in neurons. Here, we report that male mice deficient in PICK1 are infertile and have a phenotype resembling the human disease globozoospermia. The primary defect in the testes of Pick1-knockout mice was fragmentation of acrosomes in the early stages of spermiogenesis.

Clustering and synaptic targeting of PICK1 requires direct interaction between the PDZ domain and lipid membranes.

Protein interacting with c kinase 1 (PICK1) regulates the trafficking of receptors and ion-channels such as AMPA receptors. Traditionally, the PICK1 PDZ domain is regarded as an adaptor capable of binding to receptors trafficked by PICK1, and the lipid-binding BAR domain functions to tether PICK1 directly to membranes. Here, we show that the PICK1 PDZ domain can directly interact with lipid membranes.

[Identification of rhizoma atractylodes based on FTIR spectra and radial basis function network].

In order to recognize the atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. (rhizoma atractylodes) and its confusable varieties, three kinds of models of radial basis function network(RBF), nonlinear-linear, linear-linear, and nonlinear-nonlinear model, were used combined with their Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). Rhizoma atractylodes models were collected by Fourier transform infrared spectra, 36 samples were gathered as a training target, and 27 samples as a test set, then their supervision training was performed using three models each.

Targeted in vivo mutations of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 and its interacting protein PICK1 eliminate cerebellar long-term depression.

Cerebellar long-term depression (LTD) is a major form of synaptic plasticity that is thought to be critical for certain types of motor learning. Phosphorylation of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 on serine-880 as well as interaction of GluR2 with PICK1 have been suggested to contribute to the endocytic removal of postsynaptic AMPA receptors during LTD. Here, we show that targeted mutation of PICK1, the GluR2 C-terminal PDZ ligand, or the GluR2 PKC phosphorylation site eliminates cerebellar LTD in mice.

Lipid binding regulates synaptic targeting of PICK1, AMPA receptor trafficking, and synaptic plasticity.

The targeting and surface expression of membrane proteins are critical to their functions. In neurons, synaptic targeting and surface expression of AMPA-type glutamate receptors were found to be critical for synaptic plasticity such as long-term potentiation and long-term depression (LTD). PICK1 (protein interacting with C kinase 1) is a cytosolic protein that interacts with many membrane proteins, including AMPA receptors via its PDZ (postsynaptic density-95/Discs large/zona occludens-1) domain.