Synuclein Motor Dysfunction Composite Scale for the Discrimination of Dementia With Lewy Bodies From Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: An abnormal increase of α-synuclein in the brain is the hallmark of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). However, the diagnostic power of plasma α-synuclein in DLB is not yet confirmed. Parkinsonism is highly associated with and is one of the core clinical features of DLB.

Type A Aortic Dissection Presenting with Inferior ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Unlabelled: Type A aortic dissection with concurrent ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is relatively rare. However, it can be potentially fatal and easily misdiagnosed as STEMI alone. Misdiagnosis will lead to inappropriate administration of anticoagulant and thrombolytic therapy and delayed surgical repair of the aorta.

Changes in left atrial functional indexes in ischemic stroke patients.

Background: Increased left atrial (LA) size has been proposed as a predictor of multiple adverse cardiovascular events including stroke. LA dysfunction can occur in the absence of increased LA size. However, the relationship between stroke and changes in LA function is not well known.

Recurrent stress cardiomyopathy with different electrocardiographic abnormalities on each presentation in a depressed post-menopausal woman.

Stress cardiomyopathy (SCM) is a syndrome of transient cardiac abnormalities precipitated by intense emotional or physical stress. Differentiating SCM from acute myocardial infarction is often difficult but vital to avoid subjecting SCM patients to unnecessary reperfusion therapy and invasive coronary angiography. For accurate diagnosis, it is important that physicians be familiar with the current diagnostic criteria, most susceptible populations, and typical triggers for SCM.

Repeated massive pulmonary air embolism during pacemaker implantation.

Pacemaker implantation is associated with the potential for various acute and late complications. Though they rarely occur, massive pulmonary air embolisms are lethal. We report the case of a 72-year old male with sick sinus syndrome who underwent permanent pacemaker implantation.

Inhibitory effect of α-lipoic acid on platelet aggregation is mediated by PPARs.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) isoforms (α, β/δ, and γ are present in human platelets, and activation of PPARs inhibits platelet aggregation. α-Lipoic acid (ALA), occurring naturally in human food, has been reported to exhibit an antiplatelet activity. However, the mechanisms underlying ALA-mediated inhibition of platelet aggregation remain unknown.

Immediate change in pulmonary venous flow pattern after deployment of occluder device for atrial septal defect.

Transcatheter closure of a secundum defect using a septal occluder is a safe and effective procedure based on long-term follow-up, but no clinical studies have examined immediate hemodynamic changes. We evaluated pulmonary venous flow velocity pattern before and immediately after deployment of the Amplatzer septal occluder for closure of atrial septal defect. From May 2003 to January 2005, 48 patients with secundum atrial septal defect received transcatheter closure with complete occlusion.

Activated matrix metalloproteinase and disrupted myocardial collagen matrix in increased sympathetic activity following stimulation of dorsal medulla in the vagotomized feline model.

Sympathetic hyperactivation in many kinds of neurocardiogenic injury can result in obvious heart failure. We generated a vagotomized feline model in which sympathetic hyperactivation was induced by electrical stimulation of dorsal medulla (ESDM) of brain stem to investigate the relationship between disruption of extracellular collagen matrix (ECM) and activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in myocardium in the sympathetic hyperactivity. Mean blood pressure, heart rate and plasma norepinephrine were all significantly increased from baseline to a peak at 5 min after ESDM.

Diabetes exacerbates angiographic coronary lesion progression in subjects with metabolic syndrome independent of CRP levels.

Background: Metabolic syndrome is gaining more attention as a special cluster of cardiovascular risks. However, its role, with or without diabetes, in predicting atherosclerosis progression, remains largely undetermined. We investigated the predictors for angiographic coronary atherosclerosis progression in patients with metabolic syndrome and angina pectoris.

Circulating hepatocyte growth factor level but not basic fibroblast growth factor level is elevated in angiography-proven symptomatic peripheral artery disease.

Circulating vasogenic factors may be up-regulated in response to ischemia to promote angiogenesis in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Studies on this are limited in number and size, and results are inconsistent, especially regarding basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) level. From March 1999 to April 2004, all consecutive patients with lower limb PAD having serum samples at the time of intervention were recruited.

Decreased circulating protective adiponectin level is associated with angiographic coronary disease progression in patients with angina pectoris.

Adipocyte cytokines regulate glucose metabolism and insulin resistance and adiponectin is thought to have a protective effect against atherosclerosis. Studies have shown that adiponectin expression is decreased in obese subjects and those with metabolic syndrome or diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between circulating adipocyte cytokine concentrations and angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD) progression in patients with chest pain.

C-reactive protein gene polymorphism 1009A>G is associated with serum CRP levels in Chinese men: a TCVGHAGE study.

Background: Increased concentrations of high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This increase might be caused by low-grade inflammation, but a number of studies have suggested that serum CRP concentrations are under genetic control. Since the relation between CRP concentration and cardiovascular diseases occurs across ethnicities, we determined whether CRP gene variants affect fasting hs-CRP concentrations in a cohort of Chinese men.

An adult with aortic arch interruption associated with sinus venosus atrial septal defect and partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection.

Interruption of the aortic arch is a rare and usually lethal congenital anomaly that is often associated with multiple cardiac malformations. Most neonates with aortic arch interruption perish once the ductus arteriosus closes after birth. However, sporadic cases have been reported to survive into adulthood uneventfully.

Positive associations of bone mineral density with body mass index, physical activity, and blood triglyceride level in men over 70 years old: a TCVGHAGE study.

It is known that osteoporosis decreases physical function in older males. However, the role of metabolic parameters and physical activity influencing older men's bone status remains unclear. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate calcaneus bone mass by ultrasonic screening and the associated physical and metabolic functions in older men.

High-dose norepinephrine induces disruption of myocardial extracellular matrix and left ventricular dilatation and dysfunction in a novel feline model.

Background: Intravenous norepinephrine (NE) at a dose of 1-6 microg/kg/minute can induce increased extracellular matrix (ECM) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a higher dose of NE on cardiac remodeling.

Methods: After intraperitoneal urethane-chloralose anesthesia, 7 cats (3.

Intra-cardiac echocardiography guided trans-septal puncture in patients with dilated left atrium undergoing percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy.

Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) is an effective treatment for mitral stenosis, but trans-septal puncture carries a certain risk of complications. There have been few reports on phase-array intra-cardiac echocardiography (ICE) guidance in trans-septal puncture for PTMC, especially in patients with dilated left atrium or distorted anatomy. Herein, we report our preliminary experience with ICE-guided trans-septal puncture in patients with dilated left atrium (>or=5.

The presence of metabolic syndrome is independently associated with elevated serum CD40 ligand and disease severity in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease.

Nontraditional atherosclerotic risk factors have become the focus of attention in recent years. In addition, metabolic syndrome is gaining recognition as another multiplex cardiovascular risk factor. However, to date, no studies have investigated the effect of metabolic syndrome on circulating soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, cellular adhesion molecules, and disease severity in patients with symptomatic coronary artery diseases.

Coronary artery disease progression is associated with C-reactive protein and conventional risk factors but not soluble CD40 ligand.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of death worldwide. Epidemiological studies have documented conventional risk factors; however, no studies to date have addressed the roles of soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and there have been few reports on other novel risk factors in CAD progression. The aim of the present study was to explore the roles of novel and conventional risk factors in CAD progression.

Iso-osmolar contrast medium better preserves short- and long-term renal function after cardiovascular catheterizations in patients with severe baseline renal insufficiency.

Background: Iso-osmolar iodixanol was shown to least affect very-short-term renal function. However, its short- and long-term renal effects after cardiovascular catheterizations in severe renal insufficiency remain unknown.

Methods: Patients undergoing elective cardiovascular catheterizations and having pre-procedural serum creatinine (Scr) > or =2.

Caveolin-1 expression is associated with plaque formation in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Caveolin-1, the major structural protein of caveolae, is present in several cell types known to play a role in the development of atherosclerosis. In this study, the distribution and expression of caveolin-1 in the arterial walls were studied in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Immunohistochemical results indicated that the staining intensity of caveolin-1 reached a high level in the arterial intima at 5 weeks after high-cholesterol-diet treatment and decreased to a very low level at 8 weeks when atheromatous plaques appeared.

The mechanisms of an increased dominant frequency in the left atrial posterior wall during atrial fibrillation in acute atrial dilatation.

Background: Previous studies have shown that the highest dominant frequency (DF) is located in the left atrium (LA) during atrial fibrillation (AF) in pacing-induced AF. However, there have been few studies on the mechanisms of the increased DF of AF during acute atrial dilatation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of the increased maximal DF (max DF) in pacing-induced AF during acute atrial dilatation.

Berberine suppresses MEK/ERK-dependent Egr-1 signaling pathway and inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell regrowth after in vitro mechanical injury.

Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and post-angioplasty restenosis. Berberine is a well-known component of the Chinese herb medicine Huanglian (Coptis chinensis), and is capable of inhibiting SMC contraction and proliferation, yet the exact mechanism is unknown. We therefore investigated the effect of berberine on SMC growth after mechanic injury in vitro.

Delicate percutaneous renal artery stenting minimizes postoperative renal injury and protects kidney in patients with severe atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis and impaired renal function.

Percutaneous transluminal renal artery stenting (PTRAS) is associated with declining renal function in a non-negligible portion of patients and is inflicted by different mechanisms, including atheroembolism. This study investigated whether delicate PTRAS to reduce atheroembolism might minimize postoperative renal injury and better preserve renal function. Patients undergoing PTRAS performed by experienced interventional cardiologists, applying coronary intervention concepts, techniques, devices and delicacy principles whenever possible, were prospectively studied.

Circulating CD40 ligand is elevated only in patients with more advanced symptomatic peripheral arterial diseases.

Introduction: CD40 and its ligand participate in atherosclerosis formation, progression and destabilization. Increased soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) was observed in hypercholesterolemia, unstable angina and conditions with platelet activation. To date, there is no report on the association of sCD40L with angiographic peripheral artery disease (PAD) disease severity.

Comparison of right atrial pressure and central venous pressures measured at various anatomical locations in children.

Purpose: To compare the right atrial pressure to the central venous pressures measured at different points in spontaneously breathing children and try to find a formula to estimate right atrial pressure by central venous pressure measurement.

Methods: Fifty-one children, aged 5 +/- 4.7 years, who underwent right heart catheterization were studied.