Chronic B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Therapy Prevents Atrial Electrical Remodeling in a Rabbit Model of Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important and growing clinical problem. Current pharmacological treatments are unsatisfactory. Electrical remodeling has been identified as one of the principal pathophysiological mechanisms that promote AF, but there are no effective therapies to prevent or correct electrical remodeling in patients with AF.

A risk score to predict postdischarge bleeding among acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: BRIC-ACS study.

Background: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) prevents ischemic events while increasing bleeding risk. Real-world-based metrics to accurately predict postdischarge bleeding (PDB) occurrence and its potential impact on postdischarge major cardiovascular event (MACE) remain undefined. This study sought to evaluate the impact of PDB on MACE occurrence, and to develop a score to predict PDB risk among Chinese acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients after PCI.

Dl-3-n-butylphthalide promotes remyelination process in cerebral white matter in rats subjected to ischemic stroke.

Remyelination has been widely noticed as an important repair mechanism triggered after a stroke-induced white matter injury, but it often fails due to the lack of recruitment of the oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) to the demyelinated area and the inadequate differentiation of OPCs. Racemic dl-3-n-butylphthalide (dl-NBP) has been reported to improve the functional recovery in animal models of vascular dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and ischemic stroke. Dl-NBP (70 mg/kg) by oral gavage for two weeks from day 7 after a stroke was administered in the study, the treatment promoted differentiation and maturation of OPCs in perilesional white matter and enhanced the length of crossing corticospinal tract (CST) fibers into the denervated hemispheres.

Comparison between paclitaxel-coated balloon and standard uncoated balloon in the treatment of femoropopliteal long lesions in diabetics.

Atherosclerotic diseases may include femoropopliteal artery stenosis or occlusion. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is an effective and minimally invasive treatment strategy for atherosclerotic femoropopliteal artery stenosis/occlusion disease. Balloon angioplasty is a widely used technique in the management of occlusive disease in almost all arterial segments.

Association of positive and negative autologous serum skin test responses with clinical features of chronic spontaneous urticaria in Asian patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Previous studies on the correlation between positive autologous serum skin test (ASST) responses and the clinical features of patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) have provided conflicting results. To evaluate the significance of ASST responses in CSU, a variety of databases were searched from inception to March 2018 to identify relevant studies on CSU. Data were analyzed with use of the Cochrane Collaboration's Review Manager 5.

Comparative pharmacokinetics study of leonurine and stachydrine in normal rats and rats with cold-stagnation and blood-stasis primary dysmenorrhoea after the administration of Leonurus japonicus houtt electuary.

Leonurus japonicus houtt, a well-known herb of traditional Chinese medicine, is widely used to treat gynaecological diseases. In this study, a rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneously quantifying leonurine and stachydrine, the two main bioactive components in Leonurus japonicus houtt, was developed and validated. Plasma samples were prepared by protein precipitation with acetonitrile and separation by a Hewlett Packard XDB-C8 column (150 × 4.

Tranexamic Acid in Cerebral Hemorrhage: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Background: Tranexamic acid functions as an antifibrinolytic medication and is widely used to treat or prevent excessive blood loss in menorrhagia and during the perioperative period. The efficacy of tranexamic acid in reducing mortaligy and disability, and the occurrence of complications during treatment of cerebral hemorrhage remains controversial.

Objective: The objective of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid in patients with cerebral hemorrhage, aiming to improve the evidence-based medical knowledge of treatment options for such patients.

Efficacy and safety of bivalirudin during percutaneous coronary intervention in high-bleeding-risk elderly patients with chronic total occlusion: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of bivalirudin during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) in high-bleeding-risk elderly patients.

Background: Bivalirudin reduces PCI-related bleeding; however, its efficacy and safety in patients with CTO, especially elderly patients with a high bleeding risk, remain unclear.

Methods: This single-center prospective randomized controlled trial assigned 123 high-bleeding-risk elderly patients with CTO to either the unfractionated heparin (UFH) group (n = 55) or the bivalirudin group (n = 68).

Author Correction: BET inhibitor I-BET151 sensitizes GBM cells to temozolomide via PUMA induction.

All animal experiments were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC), Louisiana State University Health Science Center and not The People's Hospital of Liaoning Province as indicated in the original version of the Article. The PDF and HTML versions of the Article have been modified accordingly.

Tafamidis, a Noninvasive Therapy for Delaying Transthyretin Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Purpose: Tafamidis functions to delay the loss of function in transthyretin familial amyloid polyneuropathy (TTR-FAP), which is a rare inherited amyloidosis with progressive sensorimotor and autonomic polyneuropathy. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of tafamidis in TTR-FAP patients, with the aim of improving the evidence-based medical evidence of this treatment option for TTP-FAP.

Methods: A systematic search of the English-language literature in five databases was performed through to May 31, 2018 by two reviewers who independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Gene Mutation Status in Primary Lung Adenocarcinoma and Corresponding Bone Metastases.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations between primary tumors and corresponding bone metastases (BMs) in lung adenocarcinoma.

Materials And Methods: In total, 115 paired primary lung adenocarcinoma and corresponding BM tumors were analyzed for EGFR mutations by Amplification Refractory Mutation System.

Results: EGFR mutations were detected in 61 primary lung adenocarcinomas (53.

MicroRNA-598 inhibits the proliferation and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer cells by directly targeting ZEB2.

An increasing number of studies have observed that microRNAs (miRNAs) are abnormally expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and that their aberrant expression links with the progression and development of NSCLC. Therefore, it is necessary to full elucidate the specific roles of miRNAs in NSCLC, as this may facilitate the identification of novel therapeutic targets. In the present study, it was observed that miRNA-598 (miR-598) expression was significantly downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines.

BET inhibitor I-BET151 sensitizes GBM cells to temozolomide via PUMA induction.

A significant roadblock in treatment of GBM multiforme (GBM) is resistance to temozolomide (TMZ). In this study, we investigated whether I-BET151, a specific BET inhibitor, could sensitize GBM cells to TMZ. Our findings showed that the action of I-BET151 could augment the effect of TMZ on cancer cells U251 and U87 cells.

Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty Compared With Uncoated Balloons in the Treatment of 200 Chinese Patients With Severe Femoropopliteal Lesions: 24-Month Results of AcoArt I.

Objectives: The authors sought to investigate the midterm efficacy and safety of drug-coated balloon (DCB) in the treatment of severe femoropopliteal artery disease (FPAD).

Background: The midterm outcome of DCB versus uncoated balloon percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for FPAD are still debated.

Methods: A total of 200 Chinese patients with FPAD were prospectively randomized into treatment with DCB or with PTA.

Cerebral Microbleeds and the Safety of Anticoagulation in Ischemic Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the safety of anticoagulation in ischemic stroke (IS) patients with cerebral microbleeds (CMBs).

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier Clinical Key, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library from 1996 to July 2018 were searched to identify relevant studies that included IS patients, underwent T2*-weighted gradient recalled echo, or susceptibility-weighted imaging for detection CMBs and used anticoagulants during follow-up. Primary outcome of interest was intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing microRNA-25 protect spinal cords against transient ischemia.

Objective: We investigated the neuroprotection of exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing microRNA-25 on ischemic spinal cords.

Methods: Cultured mesenchymal stem cells were transfected with lentivirus vectors containing pre-microRNA-25 or control vectors. Exosomes were isolated and harvested by centrifugation.

TLK2 enhances aggressive phenotypes of glioblastoma cells through the activation of SRC signaling pathway.

Glioblastoma are among the most common forms of cancer affecting the central nervous system, and yet there is currently no effective means of treating them. In the current study, we reported that tousled-like kinase 2 (TLK2) is a key factor in glioblastoma that modulates SRC signaling, thereby driving tumor malignancy. TLK2 is commonly upregulated in glioblastoma, and such upregulation was associated with poor patient outcomes.

The effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on fatty acid β-oxidation, mediated by AMPK, in the failing heart.

Objectives: This study intended to investigate the effects of on fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) in rat failing heart and to identify potential mechanisms of improving heart failure (HF) by FAO pathway dependent on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).

Materials And Methods: Rats with chronic HF, induced by adriamycin (), were randomly grouped into 7 groups. Gs-Rb1, adenine 9-β-D-arabinofuranoside (, specific AMPK inhibitor), and 5'-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (, specific AMPK activator) were administered to rats with HF, singly and/or combinedly.

Ginsenoside Rb1 Ameliorates Autophagy of Hypoxia Cardiomyocytes from Neonatal Rats via AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway.

Objective: To investigate whether ginsenoside-Rb1 (Gs-Rb1) improves the CoCl-induced autophagy of cardiomyocytes via upregulation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway.

Methods: Ventricles from 1- to 3-day-old Wistar rats were sequentially digested, separated and incubated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum for 3 days followed by synchronization. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were randomly divided into 7 groups: control group (normal level oxygen), hypoxia group (500 μmol/L CoCl), Gs-Rb1 group (200 μmol/L Gs-Rb1 + 500 μmol/L CoCl), Ara A group (500 μmol/L Ara A + 500 μmol/L CoCl), Ara A+ Gs-Rb1 group (500 μmol/L Ara A + 200 μmol/L Gs-Rb1 + 500 μmol/L CoCl), AICAR group [1 mmol/L 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) + 500 μmol/L CoCl], and AICAR+Gs-Rb1 group (1 mmol/L AICAR + 200 μmol/L Gs-Rb1 + 500 μmol/L CoCl).

Association between increased serum alkaline phosphatase and the coronary slow flow phenomenon.

Background: Despite marked advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of the coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP), the exact mechanism remains unclear. Previous studies have suggested that CSFP might be associated with generalized atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction, and low-grade chronic inflammation. High serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels are associated with vascular calcification, atherosclerotic disease, and an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

Fine-mapping of prostate cancer susceptibility loci in a large meta-analysis identifies candidate causal variants.

Prostate cancer is a polygenic disease with a large heritable component. A number of common, low-penetrance prostate cancer risk loci have been identified through GWAS. Here we apply the Bayesian multivariate variable selection algorithm JAM to fine-map 84 prostate cancer susceptibility loci, using summary data from a large European ancestry meta-analysis.

Liraglutide exerts a bone-protective effect in ovariectomized rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis.

Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, is an anti-diabetic medicine associated with a reduced risk of fracture in diabetic patients. In the present study, rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes and/or bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) were treated with liraglutide for eight weeks. Liraglutide treatment increased insulin secretion and managed blood glucose levels in the rats following STZ-induced diabetes.

BST2 promotes cell proliferation, migration and induces NF-κB activation in gastric cancer.

Objectives: To investigate the functional roles of bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST2) in gastric cancer (GC) cells and its implications in the development of GC patients.

Results: BST2 was frequently overexpressed in GC tissues compared with the adjacent non-tumorous tissues, and high BST2 expression was correlated with tumor stage and lymphatic metastasis. Furthermore, in vitro experiments demonstrated that knockdown of BST2 by siRNA inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and repressed cell motility in GC cells.