Circulating antioxidant vitamins and copper in Azorean coronary artery disease patients under preventive medication – A case study

Background and aimOxidative stress and inflammation are conditions that are deeply involved in atherosclerosis and consequent coronary artery disease (CAD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the relationship among circulating antioxidant vitamins (C, A, E), copper, and other pro- or antioxidant/inflammation markers in patients with and without CAD under preventive medication.Subjects and methods174 Azorean subjects symptomatic for CAD (age 56 ± 9y; 68 % men) submitted to coronary angiography were split into 2 groups: one formed by CAD patients (≥50 % stenosis in at least one major coronary vessel) and the other by non-CAD patients (<50 % stenosis). Both groups were age-, sex- and BMI-matched. Plasma levels of vitamins or copper were measured by HPLC and AAS, respectively.Results and conclusionsLower vitamin C levels were observed in CAD patients (mainly in women, who exhibited a high rate of diabetes mellitus) as compared to the non-CAD ones. Also, CAD patients (mainly men) exhibited significantly higher concentrations of plasma copper than their non-CAD counterparts (1.17 ± 0.3 mg/L vs. 1.09 ± 0.3 mg/L, p = 0.030). In bivariate analysis, plasma copper levels were positively associated with serum LDL-cholesterol (r=0.22; p = 0.004) and chiefly with C-reactive protein (r=0.40; p < 0.001). Furthermore, they were significantly lower in recurrent vs. non recurrent CAD patients (1.07±0.2 vs. 1.24±0.3 mg/L, p = 0.004). ROC analysis showed that plasma copper, whenever >1.06 mg/L, was an independent risk factor for CAD in primary prevention for men, which suggests that its levels can fluctuate with medical therapy (such as anti-inflammatory), thus indicating that copper is not a reliable marker for CAD. Moreover, plasma copper concentration was not associated with CAD severity. Yet, results do suggest that, even within its reference concentration range, it could be useful as an acute inflammation marker in CAD management.     

新生儿首次呼吸前后脐带动静脉血液氧和二氧化碳变化探索呼吸调控机制的初步报告II—同一个新生儿同一时间的脐带动静脉血液氧和二氧化碳分压差值个体化分析*

目的: 为探讨新生儿自主呼吸产生机制,前文已对新生儿出生后自主呼吸开始前脐带动静脉氧气和二氧化碳差值进行了人群组间分析;而本部分则对相关信息进行个体化分析。方法: 在产前经所有胎儿父母签署知情同意书,新生儿出生后还没有呼吸之前在脐带动脉和脐带静脉分别连续逐搏取血,仅有3例同时采集到Pua和Puv血液样本进行血气分析测定,计算分析脐带静脉和脐带动脉的异同和动态变化。结果: 虽然准备了数十产妇,但仅有3例同时采集到Pua和Puv血液样本,同一时间的PuvO₂显著高于PuaO₂（P均<0.01）,平均相差（24.17±7.09） mmHg;而PuvCO₂显著低于PuaCO₂（P均<0.01）,平均相差（-7.67±3.70） mmHg。在同一时间的Puv-uaO₂显著高于Puv-uaCO₂（P<0.05）。结论: 新生儿出生后自主呼吸前,全部氧气供应由脐带静脉运输,只要胎盘开始剥离则新生儿的PuaO₂随时间（心跳次数）逐渐降低,当PuaO₂达到触发呼吸阈值（最低值）诱发第一次吸气开始其自主呼吸。     

超声评分法及肾动脉阻力指数对胎儿肾积水预后的评价价值分析

目的:研究超声评分法及肾动脉阻力指数(RRI)对胎儿肾积水预后的评价价值。方法:将从2016年1月2019年1月经我院超声检查发现的孕晚期肾积水胎儿210例纳入研究,测定其肾实质厚度(RPT)、肾盂前后径(APD)以及肾盂肾盏形态,对上述各项超声检测指标进行评分,累计计算分值。此外,对所有胎儿的积水肾脏肾门部位的RRI值进行测定,并以受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析超声评分法与RRI值诊断胎儿肾积水预后类型的价值。结果:所有胎儿出生1年内分别行超声检查以及临床诊断,结果显示210例胎儿,共计420只肾脏,共发生285只肾积水,包括病理性肾积水84只(病理性组),非病理性肾积水201只(非病理性组)。病理性肾积水胎儿超声评分为13分的肾只数占比显著低于非病理性胎儿(P<0.05),而79分的肾只数占比显著高于非病理性胎儿(P<0.05)。病理性肾积水胎儿的平均RRI值为0.74±0.05,显著高于非病理性肾积水胎儿的0.63±0.02,差异有统计学意义(t=26.563,P=0.000)。超声评分法与RRI联合诊断病理性肾积水的曲线下面积(AUC)、敏感度、特异度、准确度均显著高于超声评分法或RRI单独诊断(P<0.05)。结论:超声评分法及RRI诊断对胎儿肾积水预后评价具有较重要的价值,值得临床推广应用。     

CT定量分析在冠心病介入治疗前后血流灌注改变的评估价值

摘要 目的：探讨CT定量分析在冠心病介入治疗前后血流灌注改变的评估价值。方法：2018年2月到2020年11月选择在本院诊治的冠心病患者95例作为研究对象,所有患者都给予经皮冠状动脉介入治疗,在介入前1 d与介入后1个月进行CT定量与超声检查,随访介入后6个月的冠状动脉再狭窄情况并进行相关性分析。结果：所有患者都顺利完成介入治疗,介入期无严重并发症发生。95例患者介入后1个月的左室射血分数(ejectionfraction,EF)、左室短轴缩短率(fractionalshortening,FS)高于介入前1 d(P<0.05),介入前后左室等容舒张时间(iso-volumicrelaxationtime,IVRT)对比差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。95例患者介入后1个月的心肌血流量(Myocardialbloodflow,MBF)、心肌血容量(Myocardialbloodvolume,MBV)高于介入前1d(P<0.05),达峰时间(Timetopeak,TTP)低于介入前1 d(P<0.05)。介入后随访6个月,冠状动脉再狭窄14例,再狭窄率14.7 %,其中中度狭窄12例,重度狭窄2例;Pearson分析显示冠心病患者介入前1 d的MBF、MBV、TTP与FS、EF都存在相关性(P<0.05);Logistic回归分析显示MBF、MBV、TTP、FS、EF为影响冠心病患者介入后随访再狭窄率的重要因素(P<0.05)。结论：CT定量分析在冠心病介入前后的应用能有效反映血流灌注改变情况,且与患者的心功能存在相关性,也可有效预测患者介入随访冠状动脉再狭窄发生情况。     

葛根素对U14宫颈癌小鼠血液流变学、脾淋巴细胞增殖及细胞毒性影响

摘要 目的：研究葛根素治疗对U14宫颈癌小鼠血液流变学、脾淋巴细胞增殖活性及对宫颈癌细胞毒性的影响。方法：45只雌性昆明小鼠随机分为对照组、模型组和葛根素组。模型组和葛根素组小鼠通过腋下注射U14小鼠宫颈癌细胞建立U14宫颈癌移植瘤小鼠,并且葛根素小鼠通过葛根素灌胃进行治疗,对照组和模型组小鼠给予等量生理盐水。比较各组小鼠血流变学、脾淋巴细胞增殖活性及对宫颈癌细胞毒性。结果：经葛根素治疗的葛根素组宫颈癌小鼠肿瘤重量显著低于模型组小鼠（P<0.05）,葛根素治疗宫颈癌小鼠的抑瘤率是（42.91±12.91）%。宫颈癌小鼠低切/高切全血粘度、血浆粘度值以及血细胞比容均显著升高（P<0.05）,而葛根素治疗可显著降低宫颈癌小鼠低切/高切全血粘度、血浆粘度值以及血细胞比容（P<0.05）。宫颈癌小鼠脾脏重量、脾脏指数和脾淋巴细胞体外增殖能力均显著下降（P<0.05）,而葛根素治疗可显著提高宫颈癌小鼠脾脏重量、脾脏指数和脾淋巴细胞体外增殖能力（P<0.05）。此外,经葛根素治疗的宫颈癌小鼠脾淋巴细胞对U14宫颈癌细胞细胞毒性显著高于模型组宫颈癌小鼠（P<0.05）。结论：葛根素治疗可降低U14宫颈癌小鼠血液粘度、改善血流变性质,并且可以提高脾淋巴细胞的增殖活性和对宫颈癌细胞的杀伤力。     

冠状动脉磁共振血管成像和CT对可疑冠心病患者心脏事件的预测价值的比较研究

摘要 目的：探讨与比较冠状动脉核磁共振(MR)血管成像和CT对可疑冠心病患者心脏事件的预测价值。方法：2018年4月到2020年10月选择在本院诊治的103例可疑冠心病患者作为研究对象,所有患者都给予冠状动脉MRI血管成像与64层螺旋CT冠状动脉成像检查,记录影像学特征。随访患者的预后并进行预测价值分析。结果：103例可疑冠心病患者随访到2021年4月1日,发生心血管不良终点事件23例(不良事件组),发生率为22.3%。不良事件组的MRI血管成像显示右冠状动脉血管长度与内径都低于非不良事件组(P<0.05)。不良事件组的CT显示斑块率、斑块性质等与非不良事件组对比差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),两组斑块位置对比差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。多因素Cox回归分析显示斑块性质、斑块率、右冠状动脉血管长度与内径都为导致心血管不良终点事件的重要因素(P<0.05)。结论：冠状动脉MRI血管成像和CT都可有效预测可疑冠心病患者心脏事件发生情况,能满足临床诊断可疑冠心病与预测预后的要求。     

IMPROV-ED trial: eHealth programme for faster recovery and reduced healthcare utilisation after CABG

Netherlands Heart Journal - After coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), healthcare utilisation is high and is partly unplanned. eHealth applications have been proposed to reduce healthcare...     

Adaptive Finite Element Analysis of the Anisotropic Biphasic Theory of Tissue-Equivalent Mechanics

Abstract

The nonlinear partial differential equations of the anisotropic biphasic theory of tissue-equivalent mechanics are solved with axial symmetry by an adaptive finite element system. The adaptive procedure operates within a method-of-lines framework using finite elements in space and backward difference software in time. Spatial meshes are automatically refined, coarsened, and relocated in response to error indications and material deformation. Problems with arbitrarily complex two-dimensional regions may be addressed. With meshes graded in high-error regions, the adaptive solutions have fewer degrees of freedom than solutions with comparable accuracy obtained on fixed quasi-uniform meshes. The adaptive software is used to address problems involving an isometric cell traction assay, where a cylindrical tissue equivalent is adhered at its end to fixed circular platens; a prototypical bioartificial artery; and a novel configuration that is intended as an initial step in a study to determine bioartificial arteries having optimal collagen and cell concentrations.     

CFD simulation of flow through heart: a perspective review

This work addresses the problem of prescribing proper boundary conditions at the artificial boundaries that separate the vascular district from the remaining part of the circulatory system. A multiscale (MS) approach is used where the Navier–Stokes equations for the district of interest are coupled to a non-linear system of ordinary differential equations which describe the circulatory system. This technique is applied to three 3D models of a carotid bifurcation with increasing stenosis resembling three phases of a plaque growth. The results of the MS simulations are compared to those obtained by two stand-alone models. The MS shows a great flexibility in numerically predicting the haemodynamic changes due to the presence of a stenosis. Nonetheless, the results are not significantly different from a stand-alone approach where flows derived by the MS without stenosis are imposed. This is a consequence of the dominant role played by the outside districts with respect to the stenosis resistance.