Dark-Field Imaging: Recent developments and potential clinical applications

This paper describes an X-ray phase contrast imaging technique using analyzer-based optics called X-ray Dark-Field Imaging that has been under development for the past 10 years. We describe the theory behind XDFI, the X-ray optics required for implementing it in practice, and algorithms used for 2D, 2.5D, and 3D image reconstruction. The XDFI optical chain consists of an asymmetrically cut, Bragg-type monochromator-collimator that provides a planar monochromatic X-ray beam, a positioning stage for the specimens, a Laue-case angle analyzer, and one or two cameras to capture the dark and bright field images. We demonstrate the soft-tissue discrimination capabilities of XDFI by reconstructing images with absorption and phase contrast. By using a variety of specimens such as breast tissue with cancer, joints with articular cartilage, ex-vivo human eye specimen, and others, we show that refraction-based contrast derived from XDFI is more effective in characterizing anatomical features, articular pathology, and neoplastic disease than conventional absorption-based images. For example, XDFI of breast tissue can discriminate between the normal and diseased terminal duct lobular unit, and between invasive and in-situ cancer. The final section of this paper is devoted to potential future developments to enable clinical and histo-pathological applications of this technique.     

趋化因子CX3CL1与冠心病合并2型糖尿病发病的相关关系

目的:探讨趋化因子CX3CL1与冠心病合并2型糖尿病发病的相关关系。方法:采用病例-对照的研究方法,收集冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者400例,收集对照组400例,利用免疫组化检测冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者颈外动脉旋切术后斑块组织中CX3CL1表达水平,分别检测上述2组不同人群血清中的CX3CL1表达水平,同时采用直接测序方法检测CX3CL1基因rs170364位点基因型及等位基因的分布频率在对照组和冠心病合并2型糖尿病人群的分布差异。结果:冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者颈外动脉斑块组织中CX3CL1表达明显增高,冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者血清中CX3CL1的表达水平明显高于对照人群中CX3CL1的表达。CX3CL1基因rs170364单核苷酸多态位点的三种基因型分布频率(GG型,GT型和TT型)在冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者的分布频率为42.7%,40.0%和17.2%,在对照组分布频率为50.2%,39.6%和10.2%,CX3CL1基因rs170364位点T等位基因是冠心病合并2型糖尿病发病的一个独立危险因素(P0.05)。Logistic回归校正性别、年龄、体重指数、吸烟、高血压、高脂血症等冠心病合并2型糖尿病的易患因素后,CX3CL1基因rs170364 T等位基因仍是冠心病合并2型糖尿病发病的一个独立的危险因素。结论:CX3CL1在冠心病合并2型糖尿病的患者血清和颈外动脉动脉血管组织中表达明显增高,CX3CL1基因rs170364T等位基因可能是冠心病合并2型糖尿病患者发病的独立危险因素。     

Two-pore potassium channels in the cardiovascular system

Two-pore domain (K_2P) channels emerged about a decade ago and since then have been an expanding area of interest. This is because their biophysical and pharmacological properties make them good candidates to support background potassium currents and membrane potential in many cell types. There is clear evidence for TREK-1 and TASK-1 in the heart and these channels are likely to regulate cardiac action potential duration through their regulation by stretch, polyunsaturated fatty acids, pH, and neurotransmitters. TREK-1 may also have a critical role in mediating the vasodilator response of resistance arteries to polyunsaturated fatty acids, thus contributing to their protective effect on the cardiovascular system. TASK-1, on the other hand, is a strong candidate for a role in hypoxic vasoconstriction of pulmonary arteries. Many other members of the K_2P channel family have been identified in the cardiovascular system, although their functional roles are still to be demonstrated. This review provides an up to date summary of what is known about the involvement of members of the K_2P channel family in cells of the heart and arterial circulation. Our knowledge of their roles will improve with the rapidly increasing interest in them and as new selective pharmacological tools emerge. As their physiological roles emerge, the K_2P family of potassium channels may offer promising therapeutic solutions to target cardiovascular diseases. EBSA satellite meeting: ion channels, Leeds, July 2007.     

Computer aided diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease,Myocardial Infarction and carotid atherosclerosis using ultrasound images: A review

The diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Myocardial Infarction (MI) and carotid atherosclerosis is of paramount importance, as these cardiovascular diseases may cause medical complications and large number of death. Ultrasound (US) is a widely used imaging modality, as it captures moving images and image features correlate well with results obtained from other imaging methods. Furthermore, US does not use ionizing radiation and it is economical when compared to other imaging modalities. However, reading US images takes time and the relationship between image and tissue composition is complex. Therefore, the diagnostic accuracy depends on both time taken to read the images and experience of the screening practitioner. Computer support tools can reduce the inter-operator variability with lower subject specific expertise, when appropriate processing methods are used. In the current review, we analysed automatic detection methods for the diagnosis of CAD, MI and carotid atherosclerosis based on thoracic and Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS). We found that IVUS is more often used than thoracic US for CAD. But for MI and carotid atherosclerosis IVUS is still in the experimental stage. Furthermore, thoracic US is more often used than IVUS for computer aided diagnosis systems.     

RANTES gene mRNA expression and its -403 G/A promoter polymorphism in coronary artery disease

Objective

Increased RANTES expression has been described to have a role in atherosclerosis plaque formation. Functional polymorphisms within RANTES promoter region have shown association with increased risk of coronary atherosclerosis (CAD). The aim of this study was to examine the RANTES mRNA expression in patients with CAD compared to patients without CAD and its association with RANTES − 403 G/A polymorphism in an Iranian population.

Methods

The study was performed on 319 patients who underwent coronary artery angiography and patients with > 50% stenosis in vessels considered as case groups (CAD+) N = 191 and normal vessels group as control (CAD−) N = 128. In each group 20 patients were examined for RANTES mRNA expression.RANTES mRNA expression was examined using quantitative real-time PCR. Genotyping of − 403 polymorphism was performed using PCR-RFLP technique.

Results

We found that RANTES mRNA expression was increased to 1.37 fold in CAD patients compared to the controls but the difference was not statistically significant. Also comparing the RANTES mRNA expression in patients with different RANTES − 403 G/A polymorphism showed that in patients carrying AA genotype RANTES mRNA expression was increased to 1.74 fold compared to patients carrying GG genotype and to 1.51 fold compared to patients carrying GA genotype. No significant difference for allele and genotype frequencies of RANTES − 403 polymorphism was found between cases and controls.

Conclusion

More studies on larger number of samples are required to further evaluate role of RANTES in pathogenesis of CAD.     

Effects of mechanical properties and atherosclerotic artery size on biomechanical plaque disruption – Mouse vs. human

Mouse models of atherosclerosis are extensively being used to study the mechanisms of atherosclerotic plaque development and the results are frequently extrapolated to humans. However, major differences have been described between murine and human atherosclerotic lesions and the determination of similarities and differences between these species has been largely addressed recently. This study takes over and extends previous studies performed by our group and related to the biomechanical characterization of both mouse and human atherosclerotic lesions. Its main objective was to determine the distribution and amplitude of mechanical stresses including peak cap stress (PCS) in aortic vessels from atherosclerotic apoE^-/- mice, in order to evaluate whether such biomechanical data would be in accordance with the previously suggested lack of plaque rupture in this model. Successful finite element analysis was performed from the zero-stress configuration of aortic arch sections and mainly indicated (1) the modest role of atherosclerotic lesions in the observed increase in residual parietal stresses in apoE^-/- mouse vessels and (2) the low amplitude of murine PCS as compared to humans. Overall, the results from the present study support the hypothesis that murine biomechanical properties and artery size confer less propensity to rupture for mouse lesions in comparison with those of humans.     

饮酒、吸烟与冠状动脉病变程度的相关性研究

目的:探讨饮酒、吸烟与冠状动脉病变程度的相关性。方法:抽取行冠脉造影的男性患者(343例),排除患有高血压病、糖尿病、肝肾功能等异常的患者,根据患者是否吸烟、饮酒将其分为四组,吸烟+饮酒组(86例),吸烟+非饮酒组(135例),饮酒+非吸烟饮酒组(16例),非吸烟+非饮酒组(106例)。通过Gensini积分系统评价和比较各组冠脉病变的情况,分析评估冠心病的风险因素以及饮酒、吸烟与冠心病的关系。结果:吸烟+非饮酒组Gensini评分最高(33.89±31.14)分别与另外三组有统计学意义(P0.05)。饮酒+非吸烟组最低(9.31±10.88),分别与另外三组有统计学意义(P0.05)。单因素分析结果显示年龄、饮酒、TG、HDL-C是发生冠心病的危险因素,logistic回归分析结果显示饮酒是发生冠心病的保护因素,年龄与TG是发生冠心病的危险因素。结论:吸烟为冠状动脉病变高危因素,饮酒是发生冠心病的保护因素。     

Morphometric characterization of the airway and vascular systems of the lung of the domestic pig, Sus scrofa: comparison of the airway, arterial and venous systems

The bronchial system (BS), the pulmonary artery (PA) and the pulmonary vein (PV) of the lung of the domestic pig, Sus scrofa were simultaneously cast with silicone rubber and studied. Asymmetrical dichotomous bifurcation preponderated in the tree-like arrangement of the three conducting systems. Lengths and diameters of the various generations were measured. At the extremities of the BS and the PA, alveoli and blood capillaries related very closely. In the cranial and middle lobes of the right and left lungs, topographically, the PA and the PV closely followed the BS, but in the accessory and the caudal (diaphragmatic) lobes, only the PA accompanied the BS: the PV run intersegmentally. Certain similarities and differences were observed between the diameters and lengths of the various generations of the three conducting systems. The strong correlations between some of the structural parameters indicated a high level of structural optimization. While morphometric variations suggest that the air and the blood flow dynamics may somewhat differ between the three conducting systems, they may also register structural features unique to the lung of the domestic pig, an animal that has been highly genetically exploited for fast growth and now leads an indolent lifestyle in captivity.     

Human leukocytes express ephrinB2 which activates microvascular endothelial cells

EphrinB2-EphB4 interaction modulates the migration/adhesion of various cell types, including endothelial cells (EC) and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs). We hypothesize that the Ephrin/Eph signaling mechanism plays a role in mediating EC/leukocyte interactions during inflammation. PBLs were isolated from human blood, stimulated with inflammatory mediators, and total RNA or protein assayed for EphrinB2 expression. PBLs demonstrated differential expression profiles of EphrinB2 mRNA or protein, depending on cell subtype and stimulus. Human iris tissue and iris EC (HIEC) were examined for the expression of EphB4 mRNA and protein. Some blood vessels were EphB4(+), while stimulation of purified HIEC did not alter their expression of EphB4. HIEC treated with sEphrinB2/Fc from 0 to 60min did exhibit changes in their phospho-Erk1/2 levels. These observations indicate that stimulated lymphocytes express EphrinB2, which has the potential to activate EC. This suggests a novel mechanism by which EC and lymphocytes communicate to regulate cell activation/migration during inflammation.