Hyaluronic acid-based antibacterial hydrogels constructed by a hybrid crosslinking strategy for pacemaker pocket infection prevention.

In this study, we developed an injectable antibacterial hydrogel based on hyaluronic acid (HA) and chlorhexidine (CHX) for cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infection treatment. To balance stability and moldability, the HA scaffold was pre-crosslinked by 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE) and then ground to form an HA microgel (CHA). Then, the antibacterial agent CHX was further crosslinked in the CHA microgel through electrostatic interactions between CHA and CHX to obtain hybrid crosslinked hydrogels (CHA/CHX).

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery Stenosis.

Background: The present study performed a meta-analysis of randomized and prospective trials to compare the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stents versus coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) for unprotected left main coronary artery (UPLM) stenosis.

Methods: The Cochrane Library, PubMed and EMBASE databases were systematically searched until July 2017. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used for quality assessment.

Meta-analysis of Stroke and Bleeding Risk in Patients with Various Atrial Fibrillation Patterns Receiving Oral Anticoagulants.

Oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT) is a mainstay for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. However, whether the risks of stroke/systemic embolic events (SEE) and bleeding events are affected by the type, duration, and frequency of AF in patients receiving OAT has been previously debated. We aimed to determine the risk of stroke/SEE and bleeding events associated with paroxysmal AF compared to persistent or permanent AF among patients who received OAT.

HSP22 suppresses diabetes-induced endothelial injury by inhibiting mitochondrial reactive oxygen species formation.

The induction of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) by hyperglycemia is a key event responsible for endothelial activation and injury. Heat shock protein 22 (HSP22) is a stress-inducible protein associated with cytoprotection and apoptosis inhibition. However, whether HSP22 prevents hyperglycemia-induced vascular endothelial injury remains unclear.

Significant interaction of hypertension and homocysteine on neurological severity in first-ever ischemic stroke patients.

It is not known whether combination of hypertension and high homocysteine (HHcy) impacts on stroke-related neurological severity. Our aim was to determine whether there is an interaction of hypertension and HHcy on neurological severity in first-ever ischemic stroke patients. We analyzed neurological severity among 189 consecutive first-ever ischemic stroke patients with or without hypertension or HHcy.

MicroRNA let-7g inhibited hypoxia-induced proliferation of PASMCs via G/G cell cycle arrest by targeting c-myc.

Aims: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a proliferative disorder characterized by enhanced proliferation and suppressed apoptosis of intrapulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells. Recently, network-based bioinformatics have identified let-7 family, a tumor suppressive microRNA, regulate multiple interacting targets relevant to PH. However, the role of let-7 in vascular homeostasis in PH remains unknown.

Modified shock index is a predictor for 7-day outcomes in patients with STEMI.

Subject: The aim of this study was to compare the predictive values of modified shock index (MSI) and shock index (SI) for 7-day outcome in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: This retrospective study included 160 consecutive patients with STEMI and emergency percutaneous coronary intervention. The blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) measured at emergency department were used to calculate SI (HR/systolic BP) and MSI (HR/mean artery pressure).

Association of an inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: An updated meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Objective: To evaluate whether an association exists between an inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference (sIAD) and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Methods: We searched for cohort studies that evaluated the association of a sIAD and all-cause or cardiovascular mortality in the electronic databases Medline/PubMed and Embase (August 2014). Random effects models were used to calculate pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).