Association of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Agonistic Autoantibodies With Outcomes in Patients With Acute Aortic Dissection.

Importance: Angiotensin II is significantly associated with the pathogenesis of acute aortic dissection. Angiotensin II type 1 receptor agonistic autoantibodies (AT1-AAs) can mimic the effect of angiotensin II.

Objective: To investigate the association between AT1-AAs and all-cause and cause-specific mortality risk in patients with acute aortic dissection.

Role of TGF-β1 Signaling in Heart Valve Calcification Induced by Abnormal Mechanical Stimulation in a Tissue Engineering Model.

A tissue engineering model of heart valve calcification induced in a bioreactor was established to evaluate the calcification induced by abnormal mechanical stimulation and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified decellularized porcine aortic leaflets seeded with human valve interstitial cells (huVICs) were mounted on a Ti-Ni alloy frame to fabricate two-leaflet and threeleaflet tissue engineered valves. The two-leaflet model valves were exposed to abnormal pulsatile flow stimulation with null (group A), low (1000 mL/min, group B), medium (2000 mL/min, group C), and high velocity (3000 mL/min, group D) for 14 days.

Mid- to Long-term Clinical Outcomes of Hancock II Bioprosthesis in Chinese Population.

Background: Compared to the Western countries, Chinese patients present a special primary disease spectrum, diverse valvular pathogenesis, and different postoperational anticoagulation strategy. This research aimed to evaluate the mid- to long-term clinical performance of Hancock II bioprosthesis in the Chinese population.

Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed all patients who received surgical treatments with at least one Hancock II bioprosthesis implantation from January 2004 to December 2013 at a single center in China.

Inhibitory effects of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 on inflammatory cytokine expression and migration and proliferation of IL-6/IFN-γ-induced vascular smooth muscle cells.

The main pathogenesis of saphenous vein graft neointimal hyperplasia after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is inflammation-caused migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3) pathway is an important signaling pathway through which VSMCs phenotype conversion occurs. Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) is the classic negative feedback inhibitor of JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Evaluation of a novel tetra-functional branched poly(ethylene glycol) crosslinker for manufacture of crosslinked, decellularized, porcine aortic valve leaflets.

To address concerns over limitations in the clinical use of glutaraldehyde (GA) fixation in bioprosthetic heart valves, we manufactured novel, branched poly(ethylene glycol) tetraacrylate (PEG-TA) crosslinked valve leaflets and evaluated cytotoxic, thrombogenic, hemolytic, and anticalcification effects, thermal stability, and mechanical properties, in comparison to decellularized valves (control) and GA crosslinked valves. Thermal denaturation temperatures were higher for PEG-TA valve leaflets compared to control and GA crosslinked valves (p < 0.001).