Association between triglyceride glucose-waist height ratio index and cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and older Chinese individuals: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and its combination with obesity indicators can predict cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, there is limited research on the relationship between changes in the triglyceride glucose-waist height ratio (TyG-WHtR) and CVD. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between the change in the TyG-WHtR and the risk of CVD. METHODS: Participants were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). CVD was defined as self-reporting heart disease and stroke. Participants were divided into three groups based on changes in TyG-WHtR using K-means cluster analysis. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between different groups (based on the change of TyG-WHtR) and CVD. A restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression model was used to explore the potential nonlinear association of the cumulative TyG-WHtR and CVD events. RESULTS: During follow-up between 2015 and 2020, 623 (18.8%) of 3312 participants developed CVD. After adjusting for various potential confounders, compared to the participants with consistently low and stable TyG-WHtR, the risk of CVD was significantly higher in participants with moderate and increasing TyG-WHtR (OR 1.28, 95%CI 1.01-1.63) and participants with high TyG-WHtR with a slowly increasing trend (OR 1.58, 95%CI 1.16-2.15). Higher levels of cumulative TyG-WHtR were independently associated with a higher risk of CVD events (per SD, OR 1.27, 95%CI 1.12-1.43). CONCLUSIONS: For middle-aged and older adults, changes in the TyG-WHtR are independently associated with the risk of CVD. Maintaining a favorable TyG index, effective weight management, and a reasonable waist circumference contribute to preventing CVD.

Off-pump Versus On-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Diabetic patients: A Meta-analysis of Observational Studies with a Propensity-Score Analysis.

PURPOSE: The debate between off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (ONCAB) in diabetic patients remains. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate outcomes after OPCAB versus ONCAB for patients with diabetes. METHODS: Literature research was conducted up to December 2023 using Ovid Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. Eligible studies were observational studies with a propensity-score analysis of OPCAB versus ONCAB. The primary outcomes were early mortality and mid-term survival. The secondary outcomes were cerebrovascular accidents, reoperation for bleeding, incomplete revascularization, myocardial infarction, low cardiac output, and renal replacement therapy. RESULTS: Our research identified seven observational studies with a propensity-score analysis enrolling 13,085 patients. There was no significant difference between OPCAB and ONCAB for early mortality, mid-term survival, myocardial infarction, low cardiac output, and renal replacement therapy. OPCAB was associated with a lower risk of cerebrovascular accidents (OR 0.43; 95% CI, 0.24-0.76, P = 0.004) and reoperation for bleeding (OR 0.60; 95% CI, 0.41-0.88, P = 0.009). However, OPCAB was associated with a higher risk of incomplete revascularization (OR 2.07; 95% CI, 1.60-2.68, P < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: Among patients with diabetes, no difference in early mortality and mid-term survival was observed. However, OPCAB was associated with a lower incidence of morbidity, including cerebrovascular accidents and reoperation for bleeding.

Development of machine learning models for patients in the high intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma incidence age group.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has a poor prognosis and is understudied. Based on the clinical features of patients with ICC, we constructed machine learning models to understand their importance on survival and to accurately determine patient prognosis, aiming to develop reference values to guide physicians in developing more effective treatment plans. METHODS: This study used machine learning (ML) algorithms to build prediction models using ICC data on 1,751 patients from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database and 58 hospital cases. The models' performances were compared using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, C-index, and Brier scores. RESULTS: A total of eight variables were used to construct the ML models. Our analysis identified the random survival forest model as the best for prognostic prediction. In the training cohort, its C-index, Brier score, and Area Under the Curve values were 0.76, 0.124, and 0.882, respectively, and it also performed well in the test cohort. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the model could effectively determine patient prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to develop ML prognostic models for ICC in the high-incidence age group. Of the ML models, the random survival forest model was best at prognosis prediction.

Hydroxycitric Acid Tripotassium Hydrate Attenuates Monocrotaline and Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension in Rats.

This study investigated the effects of hydroxycitric acid tripotassium hydrate on right ventricular function, myocardial and pulmonary vascular remodeling in rats with pulmonary hypertension, and possible mechanisms. METHODS: Pulmonary hypertension was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by a single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline or hypoxic chamber. In vivo, inflammatory cytokine (including TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TGF-ß, the level of SOD) expression, superoxide dismutase and hydrogen peroxide levels, and p-IκBα and p65 expressions were detected. In vitro, pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, ROS production, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 expression were also studied. RESULTS: Hydroxycitric acid tripotassium hydrate decreased right ventricular systolic pressure and reduced right ventricular fibrosis and pulmonary vascular remodeling in rats with two kinds of pulmonary hypertension. Moreover, the expression of both inflammatory and oxidative stress factors was effectively reduced, and the p65 signaling pathway was found to be inhibited in this study. Additionally, hydroxycitric acid tripotassium hydrate inhibited human pulmonary artery smooth cell proliferation and migration in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that hydroxycitric acid tripotassium hydrate can alleviate pulmonary hypertension caused by hypoxia and monocycloline in rats, improve remodeling of the right ventricle and pulmonary artery, and inhibit pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration. The protective effects may be achieved by regulating inflammation and oxidative stress through the p65 signaling pathway.

Systolic blood pressure time in target range and long-term outcomes in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between the degree of systolic blood pressure (SBP) control and outcomes remains unclear in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Current control metrics may not take into account the potential effects of SBP fluctuations over time on patients. METHODS: This study was a post-hoc analysis of the surgical treatment of ischemic heart failure trial which enrolled 2,136 participants with ICM. Our SBP target range was defined as 110 to 130 mm Hg and the time in target range (TTR) was calculated by linear interpolation. RESULTS: A total of 1,194 patients were included. Compared with the quartile 4 group (TTR 77.87%-100%), the adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of all-cause mortality were 1.32 (0.98-1.78) for quartile 3 group (TTR 54.81%-77.63%), 1.40 (1.03-1.90) for quartile 2 group (TTR 32.59%-54.67%), and 1.53 (1.14-2.04) for quartile 1 group (TTR 0%-32.56%). Per 29.28% (1-SD) decrement in TTR significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality (1.15 [1.04-1.26]). Similar results were observed in the cardiovascular (CV) mortality and the composite outcome of all-cause mortality plus CV rehospitalization, and in the subgroup analyses of either coronary artery bypass grafting or medical therapy, and different baseline SBP. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ICM, the higher TTR was significantly associated with decreased risk of all-cause mortality, CV mortality and the composite outcome of all-cause mortality plus CV rehospitalization, regardless of whether the patient received coronary artery bypass grafting or medical therapy, and the level of baseline SBP. TTR may be a surrogate metric of long-term SBP control in patients with ICM.

JMJD6 protects against isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy via inhibition of NF-κB activation by demethylating R149 of the p65 subunit.

Histone modification plays an important role in pathological cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. In this study we investigated the role of a histone arginine demethylase, Jumonji C domain-containing protein 6 (JMJD6) in pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in rats by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (ISO, 1.2 mg·kg-1·d-1) for a week. At the end of the experiment, the rats underwent echocardiography, followed by euthanasia and heart collection. We found that JMJD6 levels were compensatorily increased in ISO-induced hypertrophic cardiac tissues, but reduced in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Furthermore, we demonstrated that JMJD6 overexpression significantly attenuated ISO-induced hypertrophy in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) evidenced by the decreased cardiomyocyte surface area and hypertrophic genes expression. Cardiac-specific JMJD6 overexpression in rats protected the hearts against ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, and rescued cardiac function. Conversely, depletion of JMJD6 by single-guide RNA (sgRNA) exacerbated ISO-induced hypertrophic responses in NRCMs. We revealed that JMJD6 interacted with NF-κB p65 in cytoplasm and reduced nuclear levels of p65 under hypertrophic stimulation in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, JMJD6 bound to p65 and demethylated p65 at the R149 residue to inhibit the nuclear translocation of p65, thus inactivating NF-κB signaling and protecting against pathological cardiac hypertrophy. In addition, we found that JMJD6 demethylated histone H3R8, which might be a new histone substrate of JMJD6. These results suggest that JMJD6 may be a potential target for therapeutic interventions in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

Risk factors for mortality in surgical patients on combined continuous renal replacement therapy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: single-center retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: In patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is increasingly being used for renal replacement and fluid management. However, critically ill surgical patients receiving combined ECMO and CRRT tend to have a high mortality rate, and there are limited studies on this population. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the risk factors for mortality in surgical patients receiving combined ECMO and CRRT. METHODS: Data of surgical patients who underwent ECMO between December 2013 and April 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify the risk variables. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the cutoff value of albumin and age to predict death. RESULTS: A total of 199 patients on ECMO support were screened, of which 105 patients were included in the final analysis. Of 105 patients, 77 (73.33%) were treated with CRRT. Veno-arterial ECMO was performed in 97 cases (92.38%), and the rest were veno-venous ECMO (n = 8, 7.62%). Cardiovascular-related surgery was performed in the main patients (n = 86, 81.90%) and other types of surgery in 19 patients. In surgical patients on ECMO support, the logistic regression analysis showed that CRRT implantation, male sex, and age were the independent risks factors for mortality. Furthermore, the ROC curve analysis showed that age 48.5 years had the highest Youden index. In surgical patients on combined CRRT and ECMO, age, valvular heart disease, and albumin were the independent risk factors for prognosis. Albumin had the highest Youden index at a cutoff value of 39.95 g/L for predicting mortality, though the overall predictive value was modest (area under ROC 0.704). Age had the highest Youden index at a cutoff value of 48.5 years for predicting mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort of surgical patients requiring ECMO, which consisted mostly of patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery requiring VA-ECMO, the need for CRRT was an independent risk factor for mortality. In the subset of patients on combined CRRT and ECMO, independent risk factors for mortality included higher age, lack of valvular heart disease, and lower serum albumin.

Belumosudil, ROCK2-specific inhibitor, alleviates cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting cardiac fibroblasts activation.

Cardiac fibrosis is thought to be the hallmark of pathological hypertrophic remodeling, of which the myofibroblast transdifferentiation is the key cell biological event. However, there is still no specific and effective therapeutic agent approved for cardiac fibrosis. To investigate the effects of belumosudil, the first ρ-associated kinase-2 (ROCK2)-specific inhibitor, on cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and dysfunction induced by pressure overload, the transverse aortic constriction (TAC) or sham operation was carried out on wild-type C57BL/6 mice (male, 6-8 wk old) under pentobarbital anesthesia. After that, mice were randomly divided into three groups: sham operation + vehicle, TAC + vehicle, TAC + 50 mg·kg-1·day-1 belumosudil. We found that belumosudil effectively ameliorated cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and dysfunction in TAC mice. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we inhibited the expression of ROCK2 in vitro by either belumosudil or siRNA. We showed that the inhibition of ROCK2 by either belumosudil or knockdown suppressed cardiac fibroblasts activation and proliferation significantly induced by transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1). Furthermore, our study confirmed ROCK2 mediates cardiac fibrosis by interacting with TGF-ß1/mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2 (Smad2) pathway. Taken together, we demonstrated that belumosudil ameliorates cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis induced by TAC via inhibiting cardiac fibroblasts activation. In conclusion, belumosudil may be a promising therapeutic drug for cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis induced by myocardial pressure overload.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Although ρ-associated kinase-2 (ROCK2) is the main isoform of ρ-associated kinases (ROCKs) in the heart and more important in cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis than ρ-associated kinase-1 (ROCK1), there has not been any pharmacological approach to inhibit ROCK2 selectively. Our study demonstrates for the first time that belumosudil, the first ROCK2-specific inhibitor, effectively ameliorates cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and dysfunction induced by TAC via inhibiting cardiac fibroblasts activation.

Diagnosis of left anterior descending branch-right ventricular fistula with giant coronary artery aneurysm by contrast echocardiography: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Coronary fistulae are communications between a coronary artery and a heart chamber or vessel. The final diagnosis is usually made by coronary angiography or computed tomographic (CT) angiography. Here we report a case by employing contrast echocardiography in diagnosis of a giant coronary aneurysm with right ventricle (RV) fistula. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient, a 29-year-old woman, referred to our institution with a complaint of palpitation occasionally. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed a spherical, echogenic structure in the apex of RV. Proximal to the aneurysm, the left anterior descending branch (LAD) remained enlarged (8-9 mm) and showed a fistulous communication with the echogenic structure. A contrast echocardiography was performed, and 4-5 cardiac cycle after the left ventricle was enhanced, the echogenic structure started to become more prominent and several fistulae were seen between RV and the echogenic structure. Computed tomography (CT) angiography and coronary angiography confirmed the dilation (9 mm in diameter) of the LAD with an aneurysm at the distal segment of the LAD, with a small amount of iodinated contrast agent flowing into the subsequent region of the RV, thereby characterizing a LAD-to-RV fistula. CONCLUSION: The final diagnosis of fistula is usually made by coronary angiography or CT angiography. However, contrast echocardiography is also a well-established method for the demonstration of intracardiac shunting. In this case, the contrast echocardiography clearly revealed one of the fistulae between the aneurysm and RV.

M2b macrophages stimulate lymphangiogenesis to reduce myocardial fibrosis after myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury.

CONTEXT: Therapeutic lymphangiogenesis is a new treatment for cardiovascular diseases. Our previous study showed M2b macrophages can alleviate myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI). However, the relation between M2b macrophages and lymphangiogenesis is not clear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of M2b macrophages on lymphangiogenesis after MI/RI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomized into Sham operation group (control, n = 8), MI/RI group (n = 16) and M2b macrophage transplantation group (n = 16). M2b macrophages (1 × 106) in 100 µL of normal saline or the same volume of vehicle was injected into the cardiac ischaemic zone. Two weeks later, echocardiography and lymphatic counts were performed, and the extent of myocardial fibrosis and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC) and VEGF receptor 3 (VEGFR3) were determined. In vitro, lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) were cultured with M2b macrophages for 6-24 h, and the proliferation, migration and tube formation of the LECs were assessed. RESULTS: In vivo, M2b macrophage transplantation increased the level of lymphangiogenesis 2.11-fold, reduced 4.42% fibrosis, improved 18.65% left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and upregulated the expressions of VEGFC and VEGFR3. In vitro, M2b macrophage increased the proliferation, migration, tube formation and VEGFC expression of LECs. M2b macrophage supernatant upregulated VEGFR3 expression of LECs. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that M2b macrophages can promote lymphangiogenesis to reduce myocardial fibrosis and improve heart function, suggesting the possible use of M2b macrophage for myocardial protection therapy.

Proarrhythmic effects induced by benzethonium chloride and domiphen bromide in vitro and in vivo.

Benzethonium chloride (BZT) and domiphen bromide (DMP) are widely used as antimicrobials in drugs, vaccines and industry. However, no cardiac safety data has been developed on both compounds. Previously we reported BZT and DMP as high-affinity human ether-a-go-go related gene (HERG) channel inhibitors with unknown proarrhythmic risk. Here, we investigate the cardiotoxicity of BZT and DMP in vitro and in vivo, aiming to improve the safety-in-use of both antimicrobials. In the present study, human iPSC derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) were generated and rabbit models were used to examine the proarrhythmic potential of BZT and DMP. Our results found that BZT and DMP induced time- and dose-dependent decrease in the contractile parameters of hiPSC-CMs, prolonged FPDc (≥ 0.1 µM), caused tachycardia/fibrillation-like oscillation (0.3-1 µM), ultimately progressing to irreversible arrest of beating (≥ 1 µM). The IC50 values of BZT and DMP derived from normalized beat rate were 0.13 µM and 0.10 µM on hiPSC-CMs at 76 days. Moreover, in vivo rabbit ECG data demonstrated that 12.85 mg/kg BZT and 3.85 mg/kg DMP evoked QTc prolongation, noncomplex arrhythmias and ventricular tachycardias. Our findings support the cardiac safety of 0.01 µM BZT/DMP in vitro and the intravenous infusion of 3.85 mg/kg BZT and 1.28 mg/kg DMP in vivo, whereas higher concentrations of both compounds cause mild to moderate cardiotoxicity that should not be neglected during medical and industrial applications.

The multivariable prognostic models for severe complications after heart valve surgery.

BACKGROUND: To provide multivariable prognostic models for severe complications prediction after heart valve surgery, including low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis (AKI-rH) and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). METHODS: We developed multivariate logistic regression models to predict severe complications after heart valve surgery using 930 patients collected retrospectively from the first affiliated hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from January 2014 to December 2015. The validation was conducted using a retrospective dataset of 713 patients from the same hospital from January 2016 to March 2017. We considered two kinds of prognostic models: the PRF models which were built by using the preoperative risk factors only, and the PIRF models which were built by using both of the preoperative and intraoperative risk factors. The least absolute shrinkage selector operator was used for developing the models. We assessed and compared the discriminative abilities for both of the PRF and PIRF models via the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: Compared with the PRF models, the PIRF modes selected additional intraoperative factors, such as auxiliary cardiopulmonary bypass time and combined tricuspid valve replacement. Area under the ROC curves (AUCs) of PRF models for predicting LCOS, AKI-rH and MODS are 0.565 (0.466, 0.664), 0.688 (0.62, 0.757) and 0.657 (0.563, 0.751), respectively. As a comparison, the AUCs of the PIRF models for predicting LOCS, AKI-rH and MODS are 0.821 (0.747, 0.896), 0.78 (0.717, 0.843) and 0.774 (0.7, 0.847), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Adding the intraoperative factors can increase the predictive power of the prognostic models for severe complications prediction after heart valve surgery.

M2b Macrophages Regulate Cardiac Fibroblast Activation and Alleviate Cardiac Fibrosis After Reperfusion Injury.

BACKGROUND: Macrophages play an important role in the development of cardiac fibrosis. However, the roles of different macrophage subtypes in cardiac fibroblast (CF) activation and cardiac fibrosis are unknown.Methods and Results:Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were treated with different stimuli to induce differentiation into M1, M2a, M2b, and M2c macrophage subtypes. CFs were co-cultured with different subtypes of macrophages or cultured with macrophage supernatants. Results revealed that M2b macrophages significantly suppressed the proliferation and migration of CFs, the expression of fibrosis-related proteins (collagen I [COL-1] and α-smooth muscle actin [α-SMA]), and differentiation into cardiac myofibroblasts (MFs). The opposite effects were observed with M2a macrophages. A rat model of cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury was used to determine the effect of M2b macrophages transplantation. After cardiac I/R injury, transplantation of M2b macrophages improved cardiac function and reduced cardiac fibrosis. The effect of macrophage subtypes on p-ERK, ERK, p-p38, and p38 phosphorylation was examined by Western blotting. The results showed that M2b macrophages significantly inhibited the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: These study results demonstrate for the first time that different subtypes of macrophages have different roles in regulating CF activation. M2b macrophages inhibit CF activation, and thus can be considered anti-fibrotic macrophages. M2a macrophages promote CF activation, and thus are pro-fibrotic macrophages.

Outcome analysis for prediction of intraaortic balloon pump support failure and long-term survival in high-risk patients undergoing mitral valve surgery.

The outcome predictors of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients who undergo mitral valve surgery remain unknown. This study aimed to retrospectively review valvular surgery in patients who received an IABP to identify the predictors of failure of IABP support and anticipate the necessary therapy. This retrospective observational study recruited a total of 157 consecutive patients who underwent open-heart mitral valve surgery with IABP implantation intraoperatively or postoperatively. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors attributed to 30-day mortality. Follow-up data of survivors were collected to investigate the effect of IABP support to evaluate long-term outcomes. The overall 30-day mortality was 35.7% (56 patients). The following factors that contributed to 30-day mortality included sepsis (P < .001, OR: 5.627, 95%CI: 2.422-11.683); IABP implantation postoperatively rather than intraoperatively (P = .001, OR: 6.395, 95%CI: 2.085-19.511); right heart failure (P = .042, OR: 3.419, 95%CI: 1.225-12.257); and lack of subvalvular apparatus preservation (P = .033, OR: 3.710, 95%CI: 1.094-13.167). Furthermore, follow-up data of these patients showed an estimation of 5-year and 10-year survival rates of 58.9% and 35.7%, respectively. Patients with intraoperative IABP demonstrated better long-term survival outcomes when compared to those with postoperative IABP (χ2  = 4.291, P = .038). In summary, this study distinguished the preoperative predictors of 30-day mortality of IABP-support in mitral valve surgery patients. These results indicated that early intervention with IABP should be taken into consideration in case of hemodynamic instability in critically ill patients undergoing mitral valve surgery.

Retaining mTeSR1 Medium during Hepatic Differentiation Facilitates Hepatocyte-Like Cell Survival by Decreasing Apoptosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatocyte-like cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells could be an important cell source for hepatocyte transplantation. The present study investigated the effect of retaining mTeSR1 medium during hepatic differentiation on hepatocyte-like cells in vitro. METHODS: Human embryonic stem cell line H1 were treated with activin A and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) for definitive endoderm (DE) cell induction and subsequently treated with BMP2 and fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) for early hepatic cell induction. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and fibroblast growth factor (KGF) were added for early hepatic cell expansion and then mixed with oncostatin-M for maturation. During DE induction, 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% concentrations of mTeSR1 medium were separately added for early hepatic induction and expansion. For optimization, the expression levels of SRY-related HMG-box 17 (SOX17) and forkhead box A2 (FOXA2) at day 4, alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) at day 15, and albumin (ALB) at day 25 were quantified in differentiated cells by qRT-PCR. The ALB-positive cell proportion was measured by flow cytometry. Functional tests including ALB secretion and indocyanine green (ICG) angiography uptake and release by ELISA, urea production by urea assay kit, and glycogen storage ability by periodic acid Schif reaction (PAS) staining were performed in the differentiated cells. The induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells were used to examine whether the optimized method was suitable for differentiating iPS cells. DE and hepatic markers were detected by immunostaining, and functional testing was performed as described above. Flow cytometry with an Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection kit and fluorescence microscopy with Hoechst 33258 were used to analyze apoptosis in differentiated cells derived from H1 cells. RESULTS: All differentiated cells with retention of 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% mTeSR1 expressed SOX17, FOXA2, AFP, HNF4α, and ALB, while higher expression levels were observed in differentiated cells in the 0% and 25% groups. The flow cytometry results showed that the proportion of ALB-positive differentiated cells derived from H1 cells was higher in the 25% mTeSR1 group than in other groups. However, no significant difference in ALB secretion, urea production, ICG uptake and release and glycogen storage ability was detected between the 25% and 0% groups. The iPS cells could differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells with 25% mTeSR1 retention. The apoptosis ratio of differentiated cells was lower in the 25% mTeSR1 group than in the 0% mTeSR1 group. CONCLUSION: Retaining 25% mTeSR1 medium during hepatic differentiation has been proposed to increase the percentage of ALB-positive cells and cell survival by decreasing cell apoptosis.

Foxo3 circular RNA promotes cardiac senescence by modulating multiple factors associated with stress and senescence responses.

AIMS: Circular RNAs are a subclass of non-coding RNAs detected within mammalian cells. This study was designed to test the roles of a circular RNA circ-Foxo3 in senescence using in vitro and in vivo approaches. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using the approaches of molecular and cellular biology, we show that a circular RNA generated from a member of the forkhead family of transcription factors, Foxo3, namely circ-Foxo3, was highly expressed in heart samples of aged patients and mice, which was correlated with markers of cellular senescence. Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy was aggravated by ectopic expression of circ-Foxo3 but was relieved by silencing endogenous circ-Foxo3. We also found that silencing circ-Foxo3 inhibited senescence of mouse embryonic fibroblasts and that ectopic expression of circ-Foxo3 induced senescence. We found that circ-Foxo3 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm, where it interacted with the anti-senescent protein ID-1 and the transcription factor E2F1, as well as the anti-stress proteins FAK and HIF1α. CONCLUSION: We conclude that ID-1, E2F1, FAK, and HIF1α interact with circ-Foxo3 and are retained in the cytoplasm and could no longer exert their anti-senescent and anti-stress roles, resulting in increased cellular senescence.

Long-Term Results of Surgical Atrial Fibrillation Radiofrequency Ablation: Comparison of Two Methods.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the long-term results of two kinds of surgical atrial fibrillation radiofrequency ablations in concomitant cardiac operations. METHODS: We enrolled 129 patients from January 2006 to December 2015 and performed cardiac operations concomitantly with surgical atrial fibrillation. The patients were divided into a biatrial MAZE group (94 patients) and a left atrial MAZE group (35 patients). A preoperative baseline was compared with intraoperative and postoperative data. Similarly, complications and follow-up results were compared. A matching process based on propensity-score was performed to equalise the potential prognostic factors in both groups and to formulate a balanced 2:1 matched cohort study. RESULTS: There were four deaths (4.3%) in the biatrial MAZE group and one death in left atrial MAZE group due to multiple organ failures followed by low cardiac output. No permanent pacemaker implantations were used in either group. The sinus rhythm maintenance rates at the 6-month, 1-year, 6-year and 8-year follow-ups between the biatrial MAZE group and the left atrial MAZE group were not significantly different (84.7%, 83.3%, 67.3%, and 58.8% vs. 84.9%, 77.4%, 61.1%, and 50%, p>0.05). Similarly, between the propensity-score matched groups, there were no significant differences. CONCLUSION: The left atrial MAZE ablation for the patients with mitral valve diseases who needed open cardiac operation was safe and effective when compared with the biatrial MAZE ablation group.

Domino-Fluorination-Protodefluorination Enables Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling of α-Oxocarboxylic Acids with Styrene via Photoredox Catalysis.

Domino-fluorination-protodefluorination decarboxylative cross-coupling of α-keto acids with styrene has been developed via photoredox catalysis. The critical part of this strategy is the formation of the carbon-fluorine (C-F) bond by the capture of a carbon-centered radical intermediate, which will overcome side reactions during the styrene radical functionalization process. Experimental studies have provided evidence indicating a domino-fluorination-protodefluorination pathway with α-keto acid initiating the photoredox cycle. The present catalytic protocol also affords a novel approach for the construction of α,ß-unsaturated ketones under mild conditions.

Platelet Derived Growth Factor Alpha (PDGFRα) Induces the Activation of Cardiac Fibroblasts by Activating c-Kit.

BACKGROUND Enhanced platelet-derived growth factor receptor a (PDGFRα) signaling pathway activity leads to cardiac fibrosis. However, because of the pleiotropic effects of PDGFR signaling, its role in mediating the cardiac fibrotic response remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effect of c-Kit in cardiac fibroblasts activated by PDGFRa signaling. MATERIAL AND METHODS A cardiac fibrosis mice model was induced using isoproterenol, and the heart tissues of mice were tested through western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The cardiac fibroblasts of neonatal mice were treated with PDGF-AA or transfected with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) specific for the mouse c-Kit gene. The levels of collagen I, collagen III, and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were analyzed using western blotting and RT-qPCR. RESULTS In the heart of the cardiac fibrosis mice model, the activity of c-Kit was enhanced. PDGF-AA treatment accelerated the activity of c-Kit in cardiac fibroblasts. In addition, imatinib inhibited the activity of c-Kit in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, inhibition of c-Kit by siRNAs reduced the expression of α-SMA and collagens in the activated cardiac fibroblasts. Furthermore, PDGFRa directly bound c-Kit in cardiac fibroblasts and stimulated the expression of stem cell factor (SCF). CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrated that PDGF/PDGFRa induced the activation of cardiac fibroblasts by activating c-Kit. This study indicated that c-Kit could be used as a potential therapeutic target for treatment of cardiac fibrosis.

C-Reactive Protein and Inflammatory Cytokines during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP) is significantly associated with cardiovascular diseases; however, whether CRP plays a causal role in coronary artery disease has yet to be determined. In addition, the relationship between CRP, atherosclerosis, and inflammation remains controversial. METHODS AND RESULTS: Serum interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1ß, and CRP levels were determined in 160 patients at time points around percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent implantation. The levels were found to be at peak at 24 h post-PCI and gradually declined to the level before PCI at day 30 post-PCI. These inflammation markers around PCI have no statistical difference in the different postdilation pressures (≤14, 14-18, and ≥18 atm) and stent number (1 and ≥2 stents) groups. Treatment of cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) with a combination of IL-6 and IL-1ß at concentrations associated with PCI did not result in any significant change in the CRP mRNA levels. The IL-6-augmented CRP expression in human internal mammary arteries (IMAs) stretched with a mechanical strength of 3 g was blocked by the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) peptide inhibitor SN50 and not by the inactive SN50 analog SN50M. IL-6 treatment increased NF-κB activity in human IMAs stretched with 3 g, and this effect was further blocked by stretch-activated channel (SAC) inhibitors (streptomycin or GdCl3) and SN50. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides evidence that increased serum IL-6, IL-1ß, and CRP levels around PCI are not different between different postdilation pressure and stent number groups. The combination of IL-6 and IL-1ß at concentrations associated with PCI cannot induce CRP expression in human VSMCs, but they can augment mechanical strain-induced CRP synthesis via the SAC-NF-κB pathway in human IMAs.