High-intensity and moderate-intensity interval training in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Exercise training significantly improves cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients, but high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is not superior to moderate-intensity interval training (MIIT). Whether HIIT is more beneficial than MIIT in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains unclear. METHODS: On August 29, 2021, we conducted a comprehensive computerized literature search of the Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases using the following keywords: "HF or diastolic HF or HFpEF or HF with normal ejection fraction and exercise training or aerobic exercise or isometric exercises or physical activity or cardiac rehabilitation." Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting comparisons between HIIT and MIIT in HFpEF were included in the final analysis to maintain consistency and obtain robust pooled estimates. Methodological quality was assessed based on the ratings of individual biases. To generate an overall test statistic, the data were analyzed using the random-effects model for a generic inverse variance. Outcome measures were reported as an odds ratio, and confidence intervals (CIs) were set at 95%. The study followed PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included only RCTs comparing the efficacy of HIIT and MIIT in HFpEF patients. This study included 150 patients from 3 RCTs. In the current pooled data analysis, HIIT significantly improves diastolic function measured by E/A ratio (WMD, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.03-0.23, P = .009). However, no significant change was observed in the diastolic function measured by E/e' ratio (WMD, 0.39; 95% CI, -2.40 to 3.18, P = .78), and CRF evaluated by both VO2 (mL/kg per min; WMD, -0.86; 95%CI, -5.27 to 3.55, P = .70) and VE/CO2 slope (WMD, 0.15; 95% CI, -10.24 to 10.53, P = .98), and systolic function (EF-WMD, -2.39; 95% CI, -12.16% to 7.38%, P = .63) between HIIT and MIIT in patients with HFpEF. CONCLUSION: In HFpEF patients, HIIT may be superior to MIIT in improving diastolic function, measured by E/A, but not CRF and left ventricular systolic function.

Research trends in cardiovascular tissue engineering from 1992 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis.

Background: Cardiovascular tissue engineering (CTE) is a promising technique to treat incurable cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction and ischemic cardiomyopathy. Plenty of studies related to CTE have been published in the last 30 years. However, an analysis of the research status, trends, and potential directions in this field is still lacking. The present study applies a bibliometric analysis to reveal CTE research trends and potential directions. Methods: On 5 August 2022, research articles and review papers on CTE were searched from the Web of Science Core Collection with inclusion and exclusion criteria. Publication trends, research directions, and visual maps in this field were obtained using Excel (Microsoft 2009), VOSviewer, and Citespace software. Results: A total of 2,273 documents from 1992 to 2022 were included in the final analysis. Publications on CTE showed an upward trend from 1992 [number of publications (Np):1] to 2021 (Np:165). The United States (Np: 916, number of citations: 152,377, H-index: 124) contributed the most publications and citations in this field. Research on CTE has a wide distribution of disciplines, led by engineering (Np: 788, number of citations: 40,563, H-index: 105). "Functional maturation" [red cluster, average published year (APY): 2018.63, 30 times], "cell-derived cardiomyocytes" (red cluster, APY: 2018.43, 46 times), "composite scaffolds" (green cluster, APY: 2018.54, 41 times), and "maturation" (red cluster, APY: 2018.17, 84 times) are the main emerging keywords in this area. Conclusion: Research on CTE is a hot research topic. The United States is a dominant player in CTE research. Interdisciplinary collaboration has played a critical role in the progress of CTE. Studies on functional maturation and the development of novel biologically relevant materials and related applications will be the potential research directions in this field.

Impact of ligand modification on hydrogen photogeneration and light-harvesting applications using cyclometalated iridium complexes.

To explore structure-activity relationships with respect to light-harvesting behavior, a family of bis-cyclometalated iridium complexes [Ir(C^N)(2)(Hbpdc)] 2-5 (where C^N = 2-phenylbenzothiazole and its functionalized derivatives, and H(2)bpdc =2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylate) was synthesized using a facile method. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of these complexes were investigated and compared to those of analogue 1 (C^N = (4-trifluoromethyl)-2-phenylbenzothiazole); they were also investigated theoretically using density functional theory. The molecular structures of complexes 2-4 were determined by X-ray crystallography, which revealed typical octahedral coordination geometry. The structural modifications involved in the complexes were accomplished through the attributes of electron-withdrawing CF(3) and electron-donating NMe(2) substituents. The UV-vis spectra of these species, except for that of 5, displayed a broad absorption in the low-energy region, which originated from metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transitions. These complexes were found to exhibit visible-light-induced hydrogen production and light-to-electricity conversion in photoelectrochemical cells. The yield of hydrogen production from water using these complexes was compared, which revealed substantial dependences on their structures, particularly on the substituent of the cyclometalated ligand. Among the systems, the highest turnover number of 1501 was achieved with complex 2, in which the electron-withdrawing CF(3) substituent was connected to a phenyl ring of the cyclometalated ligand. The carboxylate anchoring groups made the complexes highly suitable for grafting onto TiO(2) (P25) surfaces for efficient electron transfer and thus resulted in an enhancement of hydrogen evolution compared to the unattached homogeneous systems. In addition, the combined incorporation of the electron-donating NMe(2) group and the electron-withdrawing CF(3) substituent on the cyclometalated ligand caused complex 5 to not work well for hydrogen production. Their incorporation, however, enhanced the performance of 5 in the light-harvesting application in nanocrystalline TiO(2) dye-sensitized solar cells, which was attributed to the intense absorption in the visible region.

Emerging trends in sacubitril/valsartan research: A bibliometric analysis of the years 1995-2021.

BACKGROUND: Sacubitril/valsartan has been approved for the treatment of heart failure (HF) patients with reduced ejection fraction; since then, it gradually became a new star drug in the therapy of HF. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of sacubitril/valsartan remains under investigation. Thus far, only a few bibliometric studies have systematically analyzed the application of sacubitril/valsartan. METHODS: Publications on sacubitril/valsartan were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection on April 29, 2021. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019 (Redmond, WA), VOS viewer (Redmond, WA), and Cite Space V (Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA). RESULTS: A total of 1309 publications on sacubitril/valsartan published from 1995 to 2021 were retrieved. The number of publications regarding sacubitril/valsartan increased sharply in the last 6 years (2015-2021), and American scholars authored >40% of those publications. Most were published in the European Journal of Heart Failure, the United States was the bellwether with a solid academic reputation in this area. Solomon published the highest number of related articles and was the most frequently cited author. "Heart failure" was the leading research hotspot. The keywords, "inflammation," "fibrosis," and "oxidative stress" appeared most recently as research fronts. CONCLUSIONS: Research attention should be focused on clinical trial outcomes. Considering its effectiveness in HF, the mechanisms and further applications of sacubitril/valsartan may become research hotspots in the future and should be closely examined.

Microencapsulated tumor assay: evaluation of the nude mouse model of pancreatic cancer.

AIM: To establish a more stable and accurate nude mouse model of pancreatic cancer using cancer cell microencapsulation. METHODS: The assay is based on microencapsulation technology, wherein human tumor cells are encapsulated in small microcapsules (approximately 420 µm in diameter) constructed of semipermeable membranes. We implemented two kinds of subcutaneous implantation models in nude mice using the injection of single tumor cells and encapsulated pancreatic tumor cells. The size of subcutaneously implanted tumors was observed on a weekly basis using two methods, and growth curves were generated from these data. The growth and metastasis of orthotopically injected single tumor cells and encapsulated pancreatic tumor cells were evaluated at four and eight weeks postimplantation by positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan and necropsy. The pancreatic tumor samples obtained from each method were then sent for pathological examination. We evaluated differences in the rates of tumor incidence and the presence of metastasis and variations in tumor volume and tumor weight in the cancer microcapsules vs single-cell suspensions. RESULTS: Sequential in vitro observations of the microcapsules showed that the cancer cells in microcapsules proliferated well and formed spheroids at days 4 to 6. Further in vitro culture resulted in bursting of the membrane of the microcapsules and cells deviated outward and continued to grow in flasks. The optimum injection time was found to be 5 d after tumor encapsulation. In the subcutaneous implantation model, there were no significant differences in terms of tumor volume between the encapsulated pancreatic tumor cells and cells alone and rate of tumor incidence. There was a significant difference in the rate of successful implantation between the cancer cell microencapsulation group and the single tumor-cell suspension group (100% vs 71.43%, respectively, P = 0.0489) in the orthotropic implantation model. The former method displayed an obvious advantage in tumor mass (4th wk: 0.0461 ± 0.0399 vs 0.0313 ± 0.021, t = -0.81, P = 0.4379; 8th wk: 0.1284 ± 0.0284 vs 0.0943 ± 0.0571, t = -2.28, respectively, P = 0.0457) compared with the latter in the orthotopic implantation model. CONCLUSION: Encapsulation of pancreatic tumor cells is a reliable method for establishing a pancreatic tumor animal model.

[Inhibitory effect of combined bacterin on growth of sarcoma 180 in mice].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: It was reported that the symptoms of tumor patients may be alleviated markedly and even the tumor may be regressed completely after acute infection. Bacterin OK-432 has notable inhibitory effect on the growth of various tumors in animals. At present, OK-432 has been used in clinical immunotherapy for tumors with no other adverse events besides fever and leucocytosis. This study was to investigate the effects of combined bacterin on the serum level of interleukin 12(p70)[IL-12(p70)] and the growth of sarcoma 180 (S180) in mice. METHODS: After transplantation of S180, the mice were randomized into 5 groups, and received injection of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Mycobacteria phlei, and combined bacterin containing the 3 bacteria strains, respectively, or received no treatment (blank control). The weight of S180 xenografts, the thymus, and the spleen in mice was measured. The serum level of IL-12(p70) was detected by ELISA. RESULTS: The mean weight of S180 tumors was 1.39 g in Staphylococcus aureus group, 1.50 g in Salmonella typhimurium group, 1.36 g in Mycobacteria phlei group, 0.62 g in combined bacterin group, and 2.40 g in blank control group; the differences among the 5 groups were significant (F=66.73, P<0.001). The mean weight of S180 tumors was significantly lower in the 4 bacterin groups than in control group, and significantly lower in combined bacterin group than in the 3 single bacterin groups (q test, P<0.001). The weights of the thymus and the spleen among the 5 groups had no significant difference (F=2.36, P>0.05; F=1.89, P>0.05). The inhibition rate of tumor growth was significantly higher in combined bacterin group than in Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Mycobacteria phlei groups (74.17% vs. 42.08%, 37.50%, and 43.33%, P<0.01). The mean serum level of IL-12(p70) was 19.44 pg/ml in combined bacterin group, 12.41 pg/ml in Staphylococcus aureus group, 10.35 pg/ml in Salmonella typhimurium group, 11.68 pg/ml in Mycobacteria phlei group, and 4.45 pg/ml in control group; the difference among the 5 groups was significant (F=15.76, P<0.0001), but the difference among the 3 single bacterin groups was not significant (q test, P>0.05), while the differences between other groups were significant (q test, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The chosen bacterins in this study can induce the mice to produce IL-12(p70) and suppress the growth of S180. The effect of the combined bacterin is much better than the single bacterins.