Pioglitazone-incorporated microspheres targeting macrophage polarization alleviates cardiac dysfunction after myocardial infarction.

Objectives: Excessive and chronic inflammation after a myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with left ventricular remodelling and impaired cardiac function. Among inflammatory cells, macrophages play a critical role in polarizing proinflammatory M1 or the reparative M2 subtype. Pioglitazone (PGZ) is reported to regulate macrophage polarization to the M2 subtype.

Use of stent-grafts for the ductus arteriosus and its related lesions.

Five cases of ductal lesions with various anatomies have been successfully treated by thoracic endovascular aortic replacement in recent years; 4 using mainly fenestrated stent-grafts, and one using a non-fenestrated stent-graft. Considering the invasive nature of open surgery and the anatomical limitations of the catheter technique for occluding a patent ductus in many adult cases, thoracic endovascular aortic replacement should be the first option because of its broad applicability for ductal lesions.