The Impact of Periodontal Inflammation on the Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis

Introduction Through plausible biological mechanisms, periodontitis causes systemic inflammatory burden and response, thus resulting in damage far beyond the oral cavity. Studies have demonstrated periodontitis to be a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. The larger the quantum of periodontal inflamed tissue, the greater the chances of periodontitis eliciting bacteremia and systemic inflammatory responses. Studies have reported that periodontitis and other common oral infections play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the quantity of inflamed periodontal tissue assumes significance in determining the severity of atherosclerosis. Hence, this study investigates the impact of periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) on the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Materials and methods In this cross-sectional study, a total of 160 patients who presented at the department of periodontics of The British University in Egypt (BUE) from 1 January 2023 to 30 September 2023 were enrolled. Patients were only enrolled if they had undergone coronary angiography within the last six months, were less than 60 years of age, shared their previous medical history and coronary angiographic report, and gave informed written consent. Data on classic coronary risk factors and periodontal inflammatory status and angiographic findings were recorded and subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. Results The results revealed that the periodontal inflamed surface area (p = 0.002) apart from age (p < 0.047) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p < 0.001) is a significant independent predictor of the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Conclusions The periodontal inflamed surface area is an independent predictor of the severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

Awareness of Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease in the Population of Al-Majma'ah Region, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a significant global health concern and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. As a complex cardiovascular condition, CAD arises from the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques within the coronary arteries, leading to restricted blood flow to the heart muscle. While CAD has been extensively studied, its prevalence remains a challenge, particularly in diverse populations with distinct cultural and lifestyle practices.

OBJECTIVES

 To assess the awareness of risk factors for CAD in the population of Al-Majma'ah Region, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

 The purpose of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to determine participants' awareness of CAD risk factors among the population of Al-Majma'ah Region, Saudi Arabia. It was conducted by the use of a self-administered questionnaire that had been validated in prior research publications. Sociodemographic information as well as the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors were covered in the survey. The data analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).

RESULTS

A total of 919 individuals were enrolled in the current study after meeting the inclusion criteria. The results showed that most of the respondents 626 (68.1%) had a good level of awareness, 261 (28.4%) had a fair level of awareness, while only 32 (3.5%) of the respondents had a poor level of CAD risk factors awareness.

CONCLUSION

The majority of participants had a good level of knowledge regarding CAD risk factors. The correlation between monthly income and awareness of coronary artery risk factors was statistically significant.

Variations and Associated Factors in Symptom-to-Balloon (STB) Time and Door-to-Balloon (DTB) Time Before and After the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

During the COVID-19 lockdown, India saw a major restriction in the movement of people. Patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) required early interventions and follow-up of independent predictors like symptom-to-balloon (STB) time and door-to-balloon (DTB) time. This study aimed to determine changes in STB and DTB time before and after the COVID-19 lockdown and its associated risk factors.

METHODS

A hospital-based cross-sectional study of 105 patients admitted to the cardiac care units (CCU) of two tertiary care centers in a district of Southern India for six months was conducted to compare the changes in STB and DTB time before and after the COVID-19 lockdown (three months before March 2020 and three months after March 2020), and data was collected from medical records. The data collected was then entered into Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Washington, USA), numerically coded, and analyzed using SPSS Statistics version 21 (IBM Corp. Released 2012. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). The Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests assessed the association between the dependent and independent variables. The STB/DTB time (before and after the COVID-19 lockdown) was the dependent variable, while the age, gender, co-morbidities, smoking status, and date of admission of patients (before and after the COVID-19 lockdown) were taken as the independent variables. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The predictor variables were identified using the regression method, where all variables with a significance of <0.2 were taken.

RESULTS

The overall mean (±SD) STB time was 408.7 (±307.1) minutes, and the mean (±SD) DTB time was 161.7 (±261.6) minutes. The pre-lockdown mean STB time was 404.6 minutes, and the mean DTB time was 153 minutes, whereas the post-lockdown mean STB and DTB time were higher at 413.3 minutes and 171.6 minutes, respectively. Out of the total 105 patients, 95 (90.5%) had an STB time of ≥120 minutes, and 77 (73.3%) had an ideal DTB time of <90 minutes. There was no statistically significant variation in the STB and DTB time before and after the lockdown. Only the age group >60 years (38 (97.4%)) was found to be statistically significant with an STB time of ≥120 minutes after the lockdown (p-value=0.040), and patients referred from primary and secondary care centers (AOR (95% CI)=4.669 (1.129-19.298)) were found to be an independent factor in reducing DTB time before and after the COVID-19 lockdown.

CONCLUSION

The efficiency of the health system, irrespective of the COVID-19 lockdown, was observed; nevertheless, a delay in the overall recognition of symptoms of MI was perceived. The importance of time factors in identifying the symptoms of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially MI and stroke, has to be ascertained among the general population.

Comparative Effect of No Finish Line, Heavy Chamfer, and Shoulder Marginal Designs on the Fracture Resistance of Zirconia (Cercon) Ceramic Restoration: An In Vitro Study

Background Because all-ceramic crowns are more aesthetic and biocompatible than metal-ceramic crowns, they have grown in popularity among patients and dentists. Poor finish line layout can result in restoration margin fracturing, hence, finish line arrangement is critical to maintaining the restoration's marginal integrity. The goal of this in-vitro study is to evaluate zirconia's resistance to fracture (Cercon) ceramic restorations with three marginal designs (no finish line, heavy chamfer, and shoulder). This study is important in contributing to the ongoing debate about the optimal finish line design for zirconia restorations. Methodology Three different finish lines, namely, biologically oriented preparation technique (BOPT) with a marginal width of less than 0.3 mm, heavy chamfer with a marginal width of up to 0.3 mm, and shoulder with a marginal width greater than 0.3 mm, were made on 10 extracted maxillary first premolar tooth to make 30 epoxy resin dies on which zirconia (Cercon) coping was done using CAD/CAM technology, and marginal discrepancies were measured using a three-dimensional scanner. All the copings were affixed to their respective dies using GIC luting cement, and fracture resistance was measured using a digital universal testing machine. Results The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that the mean fracture resistance was more in the heavy chamfer finish line, followed by the no finish line (BOPT) and the shoulder finish line. No statistically significant difference was seen between the no finish line and the heavy chamfer finish line. There was a significant difference between the heavy chamfer and shoulder finish lines (p = 0.004). Conclusions To increase the biomechanical performance of posterior single zirconia restorations, heavy chamfer margins are indicated.

Clinical Outcomes of Polymer-Free Versus Polymer-Coated Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Drug-eluting stents have transformed the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD), and there are two types: polymer-free and polymer-coated stents. Polymer-free stents have a coating that is quickly absorbed by the body, whereas polymer-coated stents have a coating that remains on the stent surface. This meta-analysis and systematic review aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of these two stent types in patients with coronary artery disease. The literature and abstracts from significant databases were reviewed to compare polymer-free drug-eluting stents (PF-DES) and polymer-coated drug-eluting stents (PC-DES) for the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD). The primary efficacy endpoints of the study were all-cause mortality and deaths from cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular causes. Among the secondary outcomes were incidences of myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization (TVR), stent thrombosis, stroke, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). In terms of the primary outcomes, the combined analysis revealed a marginally lower risk of all-cause mortality (relative risk, RR (95% CI) = 0.92 (0.85, 1.00), p = 0.05, I² = 0%) with the use of PF-DES versus PC-DES. Nonetheless, there was no significant difference in cardiovascular mortality (RR (95% CI) = 0.97 (0.87, 1.08)) or non-cardiovascular mortality (RR (95% CI) = 0.87 (0.69, 1.10), p = 0.25, I² = 9%) between the groups. Furthermore, univariate meta-regression revealed that male gender and prior myocardial infarction were independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. According to the current meta-analysis, no statistically significant differences existed in PF-DES and PC-DES outcomes. More extensive research is needed to investigate these findings further and establish their validity.

Cardiovascular risk factors and pericardial fat volume as predictors of coronary atherosclerosis burden in postmenopausal women: A retrospective, single center study

Background and Aims

Little is known about the clinical relevance of pericardial fat volume (PFV), compared to other conventional cardiovascular risk factors, as predictors of coronary atherosclerosis severity among postmenopausal women. Our main aim was to assess the association of PFV and cardiovascular risk factors with coronary atherosclerosis burden, including occlusive coronary artery disease (CAD) (luminal stenosis >50%), coronary artery calcium score (CAC) >100, and plaque types in postmenopausal women.

Methods

Patients who had chest pain of angina and referred for 64‐slice multi‐detector CT (MDCT) angiography examination to exclude occlusive CAD presence were enrolled in this retrospective study.

Results

A total of 241 women with absence of menses for more than 2 consecutive years and not taking hormone replacement therapy were enrolled in the present study. Increased PFV (OR [CI] = 1.1 [1−1.3], p = 0.004), age (OR [CI] = 1.1 [1−1.4], p = 0.002), and diabetes mellitus (OR [CI] = 2 [1−4], p = 0.025) were significant predictors of occlusive CAD presence. Increased PFV (OR [CI] = 1.1 [1−1.4], p = 0.017) and increased age (OR [CI] = 1.2 [1.1−1.4], p < 0.001) were better predictors of CAC >100 than other cardiovascular risk factors. Regarding coronary plaque types, increased age (OR [CI] = 1.1 [1.1−1.3], p = 0.001) showed a significant association with coronary calcified plaque presence while increased body mass index(OR [CI] = 1.2 [1−1.4], p = 0.018) showed a significant association with coronary non‐calcified plaque presence.

Conclusion

Higher PFV values showed an independent association with occlusive CAD and significant coronary calcification. This may imply that increased PFV is likely associated with the development of advanced and severe phenotype of coronary atherosclerosis among postmenopausal women with suspected CAD.

Factors associated with nonadherence to surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with hepatic C virus cirrhosis, 2000-2015

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance can detect the early stage of tumors and lead to improved survival. Adherence to guideline-concordant HCC surveillance is crucial in at-risk populations, including patients with hepatic C virus (HCV) cirrhosis. This study was conducted to identify patient and provider factors associated with nonadherence to HCC surveillance in patients with HCV cirrhosis. Data were primarily obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for the 2000 to 2015 period. Adult patients newly diagnosed as having HCV cirrhosis between 2003 and 2012 were enrolled. Each patient was followed up for 3 years and until the end of 2015. Annual HCC surveillance was defined as the uptake of an abdominal ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test annually during the 3-years follow-up. Nonannual surveillance was defined as the lack of an annual abdominal ultrasound and AFP test during the same 3-years period. Multinomial logistic regression models were applied to determine factors influencing adherence or nonadherence to annual HCC surveillance. We included a total of 4641 patients with HCV cirrhosis for analysis. Of these patients, only 14% adhered to annual HCC surveillance. HCC surveillance improved in later years, compared with the earlier phases of the study period. Patients with HCV cirrhosis comorbid with coronary artery disease (CAD) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or those with a relatively high number of comorbidities had a significantly higher likelihood of nonadherence. Patients who primarily received care from internists were significantly less likely to exhibit nonadherence to annual HCC surveillance compared with patients receiving care from physicians of other specialties. Patients who primarily received care from physicians practicing in larger hospitals were significantly less likely to exhibit nonadherence. HCC surveillance rates remain unacceptably low among high-risk patients, and our findings may be helpful in the development of effective interventions to increase HCC surveillance. The effective incorporation of HCC surveillance into routine visits for other chronic comorbidities, particularly for CAD or COPD, may be crucial for increasing HCC surveillance.

Cardiovascular disease in women: A review of spontaneous coronary artery dissection

Research has demonstrated the disproportionate quality of care for women with cardiovascular disease. These findings have prompted a renewed focus on cardiovascular disease awareness and disease prevention in women. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a significant cause of myocardial infarction (MI) and sudden death that primarily affects women. ongoing research has led to improved diagnostic capabilities and changes in approaches to initial and long-term management most importantly this research has provided evidence that SCAD is more common than previously thought and must be evaluated and treated differently from atherosclerotic MI. The difference between SCAD and atherosclerotic MI is highlighted in high rates of recurrent disease, gender distribution, association with exogenous hormones, pregnancy, migraine, physical and emotional stress triggers, concurrent systemic arteriopathies, and connective tissue disease. In this review, we provide updated insights and a summary of the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment options, prognosis, and recurrence prevention of SCAD. We aim to provide a review of SCAD as a focus on cardiovascular disease awareness and disease prevention in women.

CYP2A6 gene polymorphism and severity of coronary atherosclerosis in Indonesian male smokers: A pilot study

Nicotine is a toxic alkaloid known to be responsible for the addictive feature of cigarettes. CYP2A6 genetic polymorphism among individuals was suspected to explain the relationship between cigarette smoking and related diseases. CYP2A6 works to slow nicotine metabolism and thus maintain a more prolonged nicotine concentration and increase nicotine exposure to the blood. We aimed to investigate the correlation between the CYP2A6 gene with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. This cross-sectional study was conducted from April to July 2010 in Makassar Cardiac Centre, Dr Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital, Indonesia. Sixty-four male active smokers at the age of ≥45 years, diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD), were recruited and asked to smoke the usual number of cigarettes in the last 1 month prior to blood collection for CYP2A6 genotyping. Spearman correlation was performed to analyze the association between the allele variants and coronary stenosis degree, adjusted for CAD risk factors. Furthermore, we estimated the risk ratio to quantify the correlation. Of the 64 male smokers with CAD, the mean duration of smoking was 36.9 ± 8.6 years, and 49 (76.6%) were heavy smokers with >20 cigarettes per day. All 128 alleles were observed. Our results showed that all participants with CYP2A6 variants had a significant correlation with severe coronary artery stenosis (P = .006). Thus, this study suggests that the mutant CYP2A6 gene allele significantly increased the risk of having severe coronary stenosis 1.2 times higher compared to the wild type. This pilot study showed that CYP2A6 gene has an influential role in atherosclerotic development in male smokers. However, our findings should be confirmed with further more extensive studies.

Targeting glutamine metabolism network for the treatment of therapy-resistant prostate cancer

Advanced and aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) depends on glutamine for survival and proliferation. We have previously shown that inhibition of glutaminase 1, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glutamine catabolism, achieves significant therapeutic effect; however, therapy resistance is inevitable. Here we report that while the glutamine carbon is critical to PCa survival, a parallel pathway of glutamine nitrogen catabolism that actively contributes to pyrimidine assembly is equally important for PCa cells. Importantly, we demonstrate a reciprocal feedback mechanism between glutamine carbon and nitrogen pathways which leads to therapy resistance when one of the two pathways is inhibited. Combination treatment to inhibit both pathways simultaneously yields better clinical outcome for advanced PCa patients.

Association Between Coronary Artery Disease and Plasma Omentin-1 Levels

Introduction: Omentin-1 is secreted from visceral adipose tissue that contributes to chronic inflammatory diseases’ pathogenesis, including cardiovascular events. In this case-control study, we will determine the association between plasma omentin and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: This is a case-control study, conducted from June 2020 to April 2021 in the cardiology unit of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Patients diagnosed with CAD (n = 300) within the last six months were included in the study. Another 300 participants without CAD and with similar demographic profiles were included in the control group. A blood sample of 5 ml was drawn from participants of both groups and sent to the laboratory to test for plasma omentin level.

Results: Plasma omentin level was significantly lower in patients with CAD compared to the patients without CAD (61.21 ± 10.21 ng/dL vs. 95.22 ± 12.21 ug/L; p-value: <0.0001). In both genders, the plasma omentin-1 was lower in patients with CAD compared to patients without CAD (p-value: <0.0001).

Conclusion: The present study revealed a negative association between omentin-1 and CAD. We speculate that low levels of omentin-1 might play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Therefore, plasma omentin-1 can be a potential biomarker to predict the development and progression of CAD.

Impella-Assisted Intracoronary Lithotripsy of Severely Calcified Left Main Coronary Artery Bifurcation for NSTEMI With Cardiogenic Shock

High calcification of coronary artery plaque is a frequent cause of suboptimal stent expansion, which can result in stent thrombosis and restenosis. Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy (S-IVL) represents a new frontier in the treatment of highly calcified coronary lesions. It can be an excellent alternative to intracoronary atherectomy in extremely high-risk lesions. We present a case of a 57-year-old man with known severe coronary artery disease (CAD) who presented with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), cardiogenic shock and was successfully treated with impella-assisted shockwave-intravascular lithotripsy permitting successful percutaneous intervention of a high-risk left main coronary artery (LMCA) bifurcation in-stent restenosis.

Key Enzymes in Pyrimidine Synthesis, CAD and CPS1, Predict Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have a highly variable clinical course. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new prognostic markers to determine prognosis and select specific therapies. Recently, it has been demonstrated that dysregulation of the urea cycle (UC) is a common phenomenon in multiple types of cancer. Upon UC dysregulation, nitrogen is diverted toward the multifunctional enzyme carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase (CAD), and increases pyrimidine synthesis. In this study, we investigated the role of CAD and carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1), a rate-limiting enzyme of the UC highly expressed in hepatocytes, in HCC. We created a tissue microarray to analyze expression of both enzymes by immunohistochemistry in a large and well-characterized overall cohort of 871 HCCs of 561 patients that underwent surgery. CAD was induced in recurrent HCCs, and high expression predicted shorter overall survival. CPS1 was downregulated in HCC and further reduced in recurrent tumors and distant metastases. Additionally, low CPS1 was associated with short overall survival. A combined score of both enzymes was an independent prognostic marker in a multivariate Cox regression model (HR = 1.37, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.75, p = 0.014). Inhibition of pyrimidine synthesis may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for HCC.

Current Treatment Modalities for Calcified Coronary Artery Disease: A Review Article Comparing Novel Intravascular Lithotripsy and Traditional Rotational Atherectomy

The coronary artery calcium score is considered the most useful marker for predicting coronary events. The high score reflects heavy calcification in the vessel, which is more challenging to treat with the percutaneous intervention (PCI). To prepare this type of heavily calcified lesion intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) technology can be used prior to PCI, which is based on the concept of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. It harmlessly and selectively disrupts both the shallow and deep deposits of calcium. The balloon-based catheters of this system emit sonic waves that transfer to the adjacent tissue resulting in improvement in vessel compliance with the slightest soft tissue loss. Therefore, making the treatment of calcified lesions more feasible, effective, and also simplify complex lesions. The lesions considered for lithotripsy-enhanced balloon dilation include calcified coronary lesions and peripheral vasculature lesions. This article reviews the use of IVL in calcified coronary artery disease, its advantages, and disadvantages while comparing it with other techniques like high-pressure balloons and rotational atherectomy devices. A thorough search of databases like PubMed and Google Scholar was performed, which uncovered 35 peer review articles. Keywords utilized in the data search were calcified coronary artery disease, coronary lithotripsy, calcification, and calcified atherosclerotic plaque. According to rotational atherectomy and intravascular lithotripsy trials, the latter was safer, mainly by decreasing atheromatous embolization risk. Deciphering these studies, it seems like IVL is better at parameters like procedural and clinical success rate, acute lumen gain, and less residual stenosis except in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which was better in rotational atherectomy (RA). However, when lesion crossings are present, the atherectomy technique is still considered as first-line therapy. In clinical practice, despite these encouraging data for treating calcified lesions, IVL is grossly underutilized because of substantial costs and perceived significant procedural risk effects on the cardiac rhythm like causing 'shock topics' and asynchronous cardiac pacing. More longer-term clinical data and extensive researches are required to validate its safety and efficiency.

Kounis Syndrome: Allergic Vasospastic Cardiac Event

Kounis syndrome (KS) is an acute coronary event secondary to an allergic reaction. It is provoked by environmental agents, food, and medications. KS is caused by the release of allergic mediators. We are reporting a case of a 39-year-old man who had a syncopal episode after he took cephalexin and ibuprofen for toothache. He developed chest pain and erythematous rash later. His electrocardiography did not show any ST-segment elevation changes and cardiac troponins were elevated. He was started on the acute coronary syndrome treatment protocol. Coronary angiography revealed no significant obstructive or culprit lesions. The patient was discharged home in stable condition. He is advised to adhere to lifestyle modification and outpatient follow-up with cardiology and allergy/immunology. KS is infrequently reported in the medical literature. Physicians should pay attention to any allergic reaction preceding the acute cardiac event and consider KS in the differential diagnosis.

Brief Report: Relationship Between Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease in Persons With HIV

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and HIV are independently associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the factors associated with NAFLD in persons living with HIV (PWH) and whether CVD is more frequent in PWH with NAFLD are currently unknown.

METHODS

From the Partners HealthCare Research Patient Data Registry, we identified PWH with and without NAFLD between 2010 and 2017. NAFLD was defined using validated histological or radiographic criteria. CVD was defined by an ICD-9 diagnosis of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, transient ischemic attack, or stroke and was confirmed by clinician review. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine the relationship between NAFLD and CVD.

RESULTS

Compared with PWH without NAFLD (n = 135), PWH with NAFLD (n = 97) had higher body mass index and more frequently had hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, and CVD (P < 0.01 for all). PWH with NAFLD were also more likely to have CD4 T-cell counts (CD4) <200 cells/mm. In multivariable models, the presence of NAFLD was significantly associated with CVD (adjusted odds ratio 3.08, 95% confidence interval: 1.37 to 6.94) and CD4 <200 cells/mm (adjusted odds ratio 4.49, 95% confidence interval: 1.74 to 11.55).

CONCLUSION

In PWH, CVD was independently associated with prevalent NAFLD after controlling for traditional CVD risk factors. NAFLD was also associated with CD4 <200 cells/mm, suggesting that immune dysfunction may be related to NAFLD. Both CVD and low CD4 count as risk factors for NAFLD require prospective evaluation.

Application of magnetic resonance computer-aided diagnosis for preoperatively determining invasive disease in ultrasonography-guided core needle biopsy-proven ductal carcinoma in situ

The aim of this study was to analyze kinetic and morphologic features using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) with computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) to predict occult invasive components in cases of biopsy-proven ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).We enrolled 138 patients with 141 breasts who underwent preoperative breast MRI and were diagnosed with DCIS via ultrasonography (US)-guided core needle biopsy performed at our institution during January 2009 to December 2012. Their clinical, mammographic, ultrasonographic, MRI, and final histologic findings were retrospectively reviewed. Their mammographic, ultrasonographic, and MRI findings were analyzed according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. CAD findings of detectability, initial (fast, medium, and slow) and delay (persistent, plateau, and washout) phase enhancement kinetic descriptor, peak enhancement percentage, and lesion size were evaluated. Continuous and categorical variables were analyzed using independent t test and χ or Fisher exact test, respectively. Independent factors for predicting the presence of invasive component were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.Final histologic findings revealed that 55 breasts (39%) had DCIS with an invasive component. MRI-detected, CAD-detected, or pathologic lesion size (P = .002, P = .001, P < .001, respectively), delay washout kinetics and detectability on CAD (P < .001 and P = .004, respectively), presence of symptoms (P = .01), presence of comedonecrosis (P < .001), nuclear grade (P = .001), abnormality on mammography (P = .02), or US (P = .03) were significantly different between pure DCIS and the DCIS with an invasive component group on univariate analysis. Of those findings, multivariate analysis revealed that delay washout on CAD (odds ratio [OR], 4.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.96-9.69; P = .0003) and pathologic size (OR, 1.29; 95% CI 1.05-1.57; P = .014) were independent predictive factors for the presence of an invasive component.Delay washout kinetic features measured by CAD and pathologic tumor size are potentially useful for predicting occult invasion in cases of biopsy-proven DCIS.Breast MRI including a CAD system would be helpful for predicting invasive components in cases of biopsy-proven DCIS and for selecting patients for sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Association of rs2230806 in ABCA1 with coronary artery disease: An updated meta-analysis based on 43 research studies

BACKGROUND

As a key gene in the reverse transport pathway of cholesterol, ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter A1) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). In the ABCA1, rs2230806 is the most widely studied polymorphism and its role has been controversial.

METHODS

We performed an updated meta-analysis by searching online electronic databases using the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wan Fang databases before June 28, 2019. STATA12.0 software was used to perform a series of analyses on the data, including genetic effect model, heterogeneity, sensitivity, and publication bias analysis.

RESULTS

Based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, finally 43 articles including a total of 34,348 subjects (14,085 CAD cases and 20,263 healthy controls) were investigated. Results showed that carrying the K allele in rs223086 in the overall population significantly reduced the risk of CAD (OR = 0.745, 95% CI = 0.687-0.809, P < .001). After the ethnicity stratification analysis, the above phenomenon was found to be significant in Asian populations (OR = 0.686, 95% CI = 0.633-0.744, P < .001), marginally significant in Caucasians (OR = 0.887, 95% CI = 0.786-1.001, P = .051), and not significant in other populations (OR = 0.851, 95% CI = 0.558-1.297, P = .452). Further stratified according to the sample size in the Asian and Caucasian populations, in the Asian the K allele is more protective in small samples than large samples; however, in the Caucasian small samples carrying the K allele play a protective role while large samples are negative. In addition, according to the source of the control population and the geographical location in China, the results showed that rs2230806 was significantly associated with CAD in any group. Five genetic models (allelic, recessive, dominant, homozygote, and heterozygote) were analyzed in the above analysis.

CONCLUSION

The K allele of rs2230806 was significantly associated with decreased risk of CAD, especially in Asian populations and small sample Caucasians.

Antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease

Atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease are commonly coexisting conditions that necessitate the use of an oral anticoagulant as well as dual antiplatelet therapy. Commonly referred to as triple oral antithrombotic therapy (TT), this helps prevent ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction but comes at the expense of an increased risk of bleeding. There is a growing body of evidence that the omission of aspirin from TT has the same preventive efficacy in terms of major adverse cardiacvascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) with significantly lower bleeding events. The combination of antiplatelet agents and direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) is a matter of ongoing research. However, initial studies showed favorable safety profile of DOAC over vitamin K antagonist in combination with antiplatelet agents.

Prognostic value of urinary 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 for mortality: A cohort study of stable coronary artery disease patients treated with aspirin

AIM

There is a variable cardiovascular risk reduction attributable to aspirin because of individual differences in the suppression of thromboxane A₂ and its downstream metabolite 11-dehydro-thromboxane B₂ (11dhTxB₂ ). The aim of this study is to evaluate the optimal cut point of urinary 11dhTxB₂ for the risk of mortality in aspirin-treated coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This was a prospective cohort study including stable CAD patients who visited the Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital in Dallas or the Texas Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, TX between 2010 and 2013. The outcome of all-cause mortality was ascertained from chart review and automated sources. The 449 patients included in this analysis had a mean age of 66.1 ± 10.1 years. 67 (14.9%) patients died within 5 years; 56 (87.5%) of the 64 patients with known cause of death suffered a cardiovascular related mortality. Baseline ln(urinary 11dhTxB₂ /creatinine) ranged between 5.8 and 11.1 (median = 7.2) with the higher concentrations among those who died (median: 7.6) than those who survived (median = 7.2, P < 0.001). Using baseline ln(11dhTxB₂ ) to predict all-cause mortality, the area under the curve was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.64-0.76). The optimal cut point was found to be ln(7.38) = 1597.8 pg/mg, which had the following decision statistics: sensitivity = 0.67, specificity = 0.62, positive predictive value = 0.24, negative predictive value = 0.92, and accuracy = 0.63.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate the optimal cut point for urine 11dhTxB2 is 1597.8 (pg/mg) for the risk prediction of mortality over five years in stable patients with CAD patients treated with aspirin.

Diagonal Earlobe Crease as a Significant Marker for Coronary Artery Disease: A Case-control Study

Objectives:

To investigate the association between diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Limited data exists in South Asia and no prior studies have been performed in Pakistan to assess this relationship.

Methods:

In this case-control study, 200 participants from December 2015 to March 2016 at Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan were enrolled. Consecutive non-probability sampling was used to recruit patients. Cases were enrolled from cardiac care unit (CCU) of the hospital with angiography-proven CAD. Controls were selected from surgical, medical and neurology units of the hospital if they had no previously established evidence or symptoms of CAD. Patients were evaluated in terms of age and any history of hypertension, diabetes and/or smoking. Cases and controls were examined separately by two investigators for the unilateral or bilateral presence of DELC of the lobular portion of either auricle. Patients with ear piercings were excluded from the study. The data was analyzed in statistical product and service solutions (SPSS) (IBM, Delaware, Chicago), and an online statistical software.

Results:

Out of the 200 patients, 126 (63%) were males and 74 (37%) were females. In the 100 cases, 76 had DELC and 24 had no crease whereas, among the 100 controls, 36 had DELC and 64 had no DELC (p <0.001, OR = 5.63, CI = 2.91-10.93). The prevalence of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking among the cases and controls were 66%, 53%, 27% and 27%, 18%, 25% respectively. The effect of hypertension and diabetes on the presence of DELC was statistically significant (p <0.05) but the impact of smoking on DELC presence was insignificant (p >0.05).

Conclusion:

There is a significant association between DELC and CAD. This is the first case-control study from South Asia disclosing this important correlation. Our study also reports a high frequency of DELC in patients suffering from hypertension and diabetes mellitus. No association between smoking and DELC was found.

Design and fabrication of complete dentures using CAD/CAM technology

The aim of the study was to test the feasibility of using commercially available computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology including 3Shape Dental System 2013 trial version, WIELAND V2.0.049 and WIELAND ZENOTEC T1 milling machine to design and fabricate complete dentures.The modeling process of full denture available in the trial version of 3Shape Dental System 2013 was used to design virtual complete dentures on the basis of 3-dimensional (3D) digital edentulous models generated from the physical models. The virtual complete dentures designed were exported to CAM software of WIELAND V2.0.049. A WIELAND ZENOTEC T1 milling machine controlled by the CAM software was used to fabricate physical dentitions and baseplates by milling acrylic resin composite plates. The physical dentitions were bonded to the corresponding baseplates to form the maxillary and mandibular complete dentures.Virtual complete dentures were successfully designed using the software through several steps including generation of 3D digital edentulous models, model analysis, arrangement of artificial teeth, trimming relief area, and occlusal adjustment. Physical dentitions and baseplates were successfully fabricated according to the designed virtual complete dentures using milling machine controlled by a CAM software. Bonding physical dentitions to the corresponding baseplates generated the final physical complete dentures.Our study demonstrated that complete dentures could be successfully designed and fabricated by using CAD/CAM.

Association of decreased serum sTREM-1 level with the severity of coronary artery disease: Inhibitory effect of sTREM-1 on TNF-α- and oxLDL-induced inflammatory reactions in endothelial cells

Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (sTREM-1) is closely involved in autoimmune diseases and inflammatory reactions. We aimed to investigate whether serum sTREM-1 is related to coronary artery disease (CAD) and to evaluate the biological effects of sTREM-1 in cell experiments.This cross-sectional study included 263 consecutive patients with angiographically documented CAD, who were admitted for diagnosis and interventional treatment of CAD (CAD group), with 162 participants without CAD serving as controls (control group). Serum levels of sTREM-1 and high sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP) were determined in all participants. In cell experiments, the influence of sTREM-1 on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)- or oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced inflammatory reactions was evaluated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).Serum level of sTREM-1 was significantly lower in CAD patients than in controls (P < 0.001). sTREM-1 values were related to the number of diseased coronary arteries (Spearman r = -0.413, P < 0.001) and the severity represented by Gensini score (Pearson r = -0.336, P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that decreased sTREM-1 were independent determinants of CAD (OR = 0.428, P < 0.001). In cell experiments, recombinant sTREM-1 protein concentration-dependently inhibited the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 induced by TNF-α or oxLDL in HUVECs.This study demonstrates that decreased serum sTREM-1 level is significantly associated with the presence and severity of CAD. sTREM-1 restrains inflammatory reaction in endothelial cells, suggesting that it might be a potential vascular protective factor.

Computer-aided segmentation system for breast MRI tumour using modified automatic seeded region growing (BMRI-MASRG)

In this paper, an automatic computer-aided detection system for breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tumour segmentation will be presented. The study is focused on tumour segmentation using the modified automatic seeded region growing algorithm with a variation of the automated initial seed and threshold selection methodologies. Prior to that, some pre-processing methodologies are involved. Breast skin is detected and deleted using the integration of two algorithms, namely the level set active contour and morphological thinning. The system is applied and tested on 40 test images from the RIDER breast MRI dataset, the results are evaluated and presented in comparison to the ground truths of the dataset. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) test shows that there is a statistically significance in the performance compared to the previous segmentation approaches that have been tested on the same dataset where ANOVA p values for the evaluation measures' results are less than 0.05, such as: relative overlap (p = 0.0002), misclassification rate (p = 0.045), true negative fraction (p = 0.0001) and sum of true volume fraction (p = 0.0001).

The utility of CAD in recovering Gondwanan vicariance events and the evolutionary history of Aciliini (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

BACKGROUND

Aciliini presently includes 69 species of medium-sized water beetles distributed on all continents except Antarctica. The pattern of distribution with several genera confined to different continents of the Southern Hemisphere raises the yet untested hypothesis of a Gondwana vicariance origin. The monophyly of Aciliini has been questioned with regard to Eretini, and there are competing hypotheses about the intergeneric relationship in the tribe. This study is the first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis focused on the tribe Aciliini and it is based on eight gene fragments. The aims of the present study are: 1) to test the monophyly of Aciliini and clarify the position of the tribe Eretini and to resolve the relationship among genera within Aciliini, 2) to calibrate the divergence times within Aciliini and test different biogeographical scenarios, and 3) to evaluate the utility of the gene CAD for phylogenetic analysis in Dytiscidae.

RESULTS

Our analyses confirm monophyly of Aciliini with Eretini as its sister group. Each of six genera which have multiple species are also supported as monophyletic. The origin of the tribe is firmly based in the Southern Hemisphere with the arrangement of Neotropical and Afrotropical taxa as the most basal clades suggesting a Gondwana vicariance origin. However, the uncertainty as to whether a fossil can be used as a stem-or crowngroup calibration point for Acilius influenced the result: as crowngroup calibration, the 95% HPD interval for the basal nodes included the geological age estimate for the Gondwana break-up, but as a stem group calibration the basal nodes were too young. Our study suggests CAD to be the most informative marker between 15 and 50 Ma. Notably, the 2000 bp CAD fragment analyzed alone fully resolved the tree with high support.

CONCLUSIONS

1) Molecular data confirmed Aciliini as a monophyletic group. 2) Bayesian optimizations of the biogeographical history are consistent with an influence of Gondwana break-up history, but were dependent on the calibration method. 3) The evaluation using a method of phylogenetic signal per base pair indicated Wnt and CAD as the most informative of our sampled genes.

Blood pressure j-curve: current concepts

The blood pressure (BP) J-curve debate started in 1979, and we still cannot definitively answer all the questions. However, available studies of antihypertensive treatment provide strong evidence for J-shaped relationships between both diastolic and systolic BP and main outcomes in the general population of hypertensive patients, as well as in high-risk populations, including subjects with coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, left ventricular hypertrophy, and elderly patients. However, further studies are still necessary in order to clarify this issue. This is connected to the fact that most available studies were observational, and randomized trials did not have or lost their statistical power and were inconclusive. Perhaps only the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) and Optimal Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Targets for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Hypertensives (ESH-CHL-SHOT) will be able to finally answer all the questions. According to the current state of knowledge, it seems reasonable to suggest lowering BP to values within the 130-139/80-85 mmHg range, possibly close to the lower values in this range, in all hypertensive patients and to be very careful with further BP level reductions, especially in high-risk hypertensive patients.

Particle systems for adaptive, isotropic meshing of CAD models

We present a particle-based approach for generating adaptive triangular surface and tetrahedral volume meshes from computer-aided design models. Input shapes are treated as a collection of smooth, parametric surface patches that can meet non-smoothly on boundaries. Our approach uses a hierarchical sampling scheme that places particles on features in order of increasing dimensionality. These particles reach a good distribution by minimizing an energy computed in 3D world space, with movements occurring in the parametric space of each surface patch. Rather than using a pre-computed measure of feature size, our system automatically adapts to both curvature as well as a notion of topological separation. It also enforces a measure of smoothness on these constraints to construct a sizing field that acts as a proxy to piecewise-smooth feature size. We evaluate our technique with comparisons against other popular triangular meshing techniques for this domain.

Is single reading with computer-aided detection (CAD) as good as double reading in mammography screening? A systematic review

BACKGROUND

In accordance with European guidelines, mammography screening comprises independent readings by two breast radiologists (double reading). CAD (computer-aided detection) has been suggested to complement or replace one of the two readers (single reading + CAD).The aim of this systematic review is to address the following question: Is the reading of mammographic x-ray images by a single breast radiologist together with CAD at least as accurate as double reading?

METHODS

The electronic literature search included the databases Pub Med, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library. Two independent reviewers assessed abstracts and full-text articles.

RESULTS

1049 abstracts were identified, of which 996 were excluded with reference to inclusion and exclusion criteria; 53 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Finally, four articles were included in the qualitative analysis, and one in a GRADE synthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

The scientific evidence is insufficient to determine whether the accuracy of single reading + CAD is at least equivalent to that obtained in standard practice, i.e. double reading where two breast radiologists independently read the mammographic images.

Comparison of Framingham, PROCAM, SCORE, and Diamond Forrester to predict coronary atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events

BACKGROUND

Cardiologists are often confronted with patients presenting with chest pain, in whom clinical risk profiling is required. We studied four frequently used risk scores in their ability to predict for coronary artery disease (CAD) and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients presenting with stable chest pain at the cardiology outpatient clinic.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We enrolled 1,296 stable chest pain patients, who underwent cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) to assess CAD (any, significant: stenosis ≥50%). Framingham (FRS), PROCAM, SCORE risk score, and Diamond Forrester pre-test probability were calculated. All patients were followed up for a mean 19 ± 9 months for all cardiovascular events (mortality, acute coronary syndrome, revascularization >90 days after CCTA). In ROC-analysis for prediction of significant CAD, the areas under the curve for FRS; 0.68 (95% confidence interval: 0.64-0.72) and for SCORE; 0.69 (95% confidence interval: 0.65-0.72) were significantly higher than for PROCAM; 0.64 (95% confidence interval: 0.61-0.68; P ≤ .001), as well as marginally higher than for Diamond Forrester; 0.65 (95% confidence interval: 0.61-0.68; P ≤ .05). Low FRS category showed the lowest number of patients with significant CAD, compared to patients with low risk using PROCAM, SCORE or Diamond Forrester (P < .001). Also, low FRS category showed less events (compared to PROCAM and SCORE; P < .001, for Diamond Forrester; P = .14).

CONCLUSION

Our data show that in a stable chest pain population, the ability of FRS and SCORE to predict for CAD was similar and better compared to PROCAM and Diamond Forrester. The number of low risk patients showing significant CAD or events was lower using FRS. Consequently, risk categorization using FRS seems to be safest to stratify stable chest pain patients prior to CCTA.

Identification, localization, and relative quantitation of pseudouridine in RNA by tandem mass spectrometry of hydrolysis products

The constitutional isomers uridine (U) and pseudouridine (Ψ) cannot be distinguished from each other by simple mass measurements of RNA or its fragments because the conversion of U into Ψ is a "mass-silent" post-transcriptional modification. Here we propose a new mass spectrometry based method for identification, localization, and relative quantitation of Ψ in RNA consisting of ∼20 nucleotides that does not require chemical labeling. Our approach takes advantage of the different fragmentation behavior of uridine (N-glycosidic bond) and pseudouridine (C-glycosidic bond) residues in RNA upon collisionally activated dissociation.

Fabrication of custom-shaped grafts for cartilage regeneration

PURPOSE

to create a custom-shaped graft through 3D tissue shape reconstruction and rapid-prototype molding methods using MRI data, and to test the accuracy of the custom-shaped graft against the original anatomical defect.

METHODS

An iatrogenic defect on the distal femur was identified with a 1.5 Tesla MRI and its shape was reconstructed into a three-dimensional (3D) computer model by processing the 3D MRI data. First, the accuracy of the MRI-derived 3D model was tested against a laser-scan based 3D model of the defect. A custom-shaped polyurethane graft was fabricated from the laser-scan based 3D model by creating custom molds through computer aided design and rapid-prototyping methods. The polyurethane tissue was laser-scanned again to calculate the accuracy of this process compared to the original defect.

RESULTS

The volumes of the defect models from MRI and laser-scan were 537 mm3 and 405 mm3, respectively, implying that the MRI model was 33% larger than the laser-scan model. The average (±SD) distance deviation of the exterior surface of the MRI model from the laser-scan model was 0.4 ± 0.4 mm. The custom-shaped tissue created from the molds was qualitatively very similar to the original shape of the defect. The volume of the custom-shaped cartilage tissue was 463 mm3 which was 15% larger than the laser-scan model. The average (±SD) distance deviation between the two models was 0.04 ± 0.19 mm.

CONCLUSIONS

This investigation proves the concept that custom-shaped engineered grafts can be fabricated from standard sequence 3-D MRI data with the use of CAD and rapid-prototyping technology. The accuracy of this technology may help solve the interfacial problem between native cartilage and graft, if the grafts are custom made for the specific defect. The major source of error in fabricating a 3D custom-shaped cartilage graft appears to be the accuracy of a MRI data itself; however, the precision of the model is expected to increase by the utilization of advanced MR sequences with higher magnet strengths.

Endothelial function in individuals with coronary artery disease with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus

The goal of this study was to determine if individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) had greater endothelial dysfunction (ED) than individuals with only CAD. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD), calculated as percentage increase in brachial artery diameter in response to postischemic blood flow, was measured after an overnight fast in 2 cohorts. The first cohort included 76 participants in the Northern Manhattan Study with CAD; 25 also had T2DM. The second cohort was composed of 27 individuals with both T2DM and CAD who were participants in a study of postprandial lipemia. Combined, we analyzed 103 patients with CAD: 52 with T2DM (T2DM+) and 51 without T2DM (T2DM-). The 52 CAD T2DM+ subjects had a mean FMD of 3.9% +/- 3.2%, whereas the 51 CAD T2DM- subjects had a greater mean FMD of 5.5% +/- 4.0% (P < .03). An investigation of various confounders known to affect FMD identified age and body mass index as the only significant covariates in a multiple regression model. Adjusting for age and body mass index, we found that FMD remained lower in T2DM+ subjects compared with T2DM- subjects (difference, -1.99%; P < .03). In patients with CAD, the concomitant presence of T2DM is independently associated with greater ED, as measured by FMD. This finding may be relevant to the greater early and late morbidity and mortality observed in patients with both CAD and T2DM.

A computer-aided diagnosis system for quantitative scoring of extent of lung fibrosis in scleroderma patients

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate an improved quantitative lung fibrosis score based on a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system that classifies CT pixels with the visual semi-quantitative pulmonary fibrosis score in patients with scleroderma-related interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD).

METHODS

High-resolution, thin-section CT images were obtained and analysed on 129 subjects with SSc-ILD (36 men, 93 women; mean age 48.8±12.1 years) who underwent baseline CT in the prone position at full inspiration. The CAD system segmented each lung of each patient into 3 zones. A quantitative lung fibrosis (QLF) score was established via 5 steps: 1) images were denoised; 2) images were grid sampled; 3) the characteristics of grid intensities were converted into texture features; 4) texture features classified pixels as fibrotic or non-fibrotic, with fibrosis defined by a reticular pattern with architectural distortion; and 5) fibrotic pixels were reported as percentages. Quantitative scores were obtained from 709 zones with complete data and then compared with ordinal scores from two independent expert radiologists. ROC curve analyses were used to measure performance.

RESULTS

When the two radiologists agreed that fibrosis affected more than 1% or 25% of a zone or zones, the areas under the ROC curves for QLF score were 0.86 and 0.96, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our technique exhibited good accuracy for detecting fibrosis at a threshold of both 1% (i.e. presence or absence of pulmonary fibrosis) and a clinically meaningful threshold of 25% extent of fibrosis in patients with SSc-ILD.

Coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction in pregnancy: a review of epidemiology, diagnosis, and medical and surgical management

Ischemic heart disease is uncommon during pregnancy, occurring in approximately one in 10,000 live births. With the increasing age and fertility of mothers, the incidence of coronary artery disease in pregnancy is likely to increase. Atherosclerosis appears to be the most common cause of acute myocardial infarction, although coronary spasm, coronary dissection and thrombus have been reported, among others. The diagnosis of ischemic heart disease in the pregnant population can be challenging and not without risk to the fetus. Although there have been many reports of acute myocardial infarction and cardiopulmonary bypass surgery during pregnancy, most knowledge is based on anecdotal reports. Even less is known about the use of thrombolytics, percutaneous coronary intervention and the optimal medical management of ischemic heart disease during pregnancy. The epidemiology, diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment, and prognosis of ischemic heart disease in pregnancy are the subject of the present review.

Thigmomorphogenesis in Solanum lycopersicum: morphological and biochemical responses in stem after mechanical stimulation

The activation of the phenylpropanoid pathway in plants by environmental stimuli is one of the most universal biochemical stress responses known. In tomato plant, rubbing applied to a young internode inhibit elongation of the rubbed internode and his neighboring one. These morphological changes were correlated with an increase in lignification enzyme activities, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) and peroxidases (POD), 24 hours after rubbing of the forth internode. Furthermore, a decrease in indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content was detected in the rubbed internode and the upper one. Taken together, our results suggest that decrease in rubbed internode length is a consequence of IAA oxidation, increases in enzyme activities (PAL, CAD and POD), and cell wall rigidification associated with induction of lignification process.

OSA: the new cardiovascular disease: part II: Overview of cardiovascular diseases associated with obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), present in 5-15% of adults, is strongly associated with the incidence and poor outcome of hypertension, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, and stroke. Treatment of OSA completely reverses its cardiovascular consequences. In this review, we discuss the clinical evidence for the strong association between OSA and cardiovascular disease and present an argument for approaching OSA as a cardiovascular disease. We particularly focus on the causative relationship between OSA and hypertension, and on the increasingly recognized relationship between OSA and heart failure.

EMPLOYING TOPOGRAPHICAL HEIGHT MAP IN COLONIC POLYP MEASUREMENT AND FALSE POSITIVE REDUCTION

CT Colonography (CTC) is an emerging minimally invasive technique for screening and diagnosing colon cancers. Computer Aided Detection (CAD) techniques can increase sensitivity and reduce false positives. Inspired by the way radiologists detect polyps via 3D virtual fly-through in CTC, we borrowed the idea from geographic information systems to employ topographical height map in colonic polyp measurement and false positive reduction. After a curvature based filtering and a 3D CT feature classifier, a height map is computed for each detection using a ray-casting algorithm. We design a concentric index to characterize the concentric pattern in polyp height map based on the fact that polyps are protrusions from the colon wall and round in shape. The height map is optimized through a multi-scale spiral spherical search to maximize the concentric index. We derive several topographic features from the map and compute texture features based on wavelet decomposition. We then send the features to a committee of support vector machines for classification. We have trained our method on 394 patients (71 polyps) and tested it on 792 patients (226 polyps). Results showed that we can achieve 95% sensitivity at 2.4 false positives per patient and the height map features can reduce false positives by more than 50%. We compute the polyp height and width measurements and correlate them with manual measurements. The Pearson correlations are 0.74 (p=0.11) and 0.75 (p=0.17) for height and width, respectively.

Application of the rapid prototyping technique to design a customized temporomandibular joint used to treat temporomandibular ankylosis

Anthropometric variations in humans make it difficult to replace a temporomandibular joint (TMJ), successfully using a standard "one-size-fits-all" prosthesis. The case report presents a unique concept of total TMJ replacement with customized and modified TMJ prosthesis, which is cost-effective and provides the best fit for the patient. The process involved in designing and modifications over the existing prosthesis are also described. A 12-year- old female who presented for treatment of left unilateral TMJ ankylosis underwent the surgery for total TMJ replacement. A three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) scan suggested features of bony ankylosis of left TMJ. CT images were converted to a sterolithographic model using CAD software and a rapid prototyping machine. A process of rapid manufacturing was then used to manufacture the customized prosthesis. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, with an improvement in mouth opening of 3.5 cm and painless jaw movements. Three years postsurgery, the patient is pain-free, has a mouth opening of about 4.0 cm and enjoys a normal diet. The postoperative radiographs concur with the excellent clinical results. The use of CAD/CAM technique to design the custom-made prosthesis, using orthopaedically proven structural materials, significantly improves the predictability and success rates of TMJ replacement surgery.

Fully automated three-dimensional detection of polyps in fecal-tagging CT colonography

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The presence of opacified materials presents several technical challenges for automated detection of polyps in fecal-tagging computed tomography colonography (ftCTC), such as pseudo-enhancement and the distortion of the density, size, and shape of the observed lesions. We developed a fully automated computer-aided detection (CAD) scheme that addresses these issues in automated detection of polyps in ftCTC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pseudo-enhancement was minimized by use of an adaptive density correction (ADC) method. The presence of tagging was minimized by use of an adaptive density mapping (ADM) method. We also developed a new method for automated extraction of the colonic wall within air-filled and tagged regions. The ADC and ADM parameters were optimized by use of an anthropomorphic phantom. The CAD scheme was evaluated with 32+32 cases from two types of clinical ftCTC databases. The cases in database I had full cathartic cleansing and 40 polyps > or =6 mm, and the cases in database II had reduced cathartic cleansing and 44 polyps > or =6 mm. The by-polyp detection performance of the CAD scheme was evaluated by use of a leave-one-patient-out method with five features, and the results were compared with those of a conventional CAD scheme by use of free-response receiver operating characteristic curves.

RESULTS

The CAD scheme detected 95% and 86% of the polyps > or =6 mm with 3.6 and 4.2 false positives per scan on average in databases I and II, respectively. For polyps > or =10 mm, the detection sensitivity was 94% in database I (with one missed hyperplastic polyp) and 100% in database II at the same false-positive rate. The detection sensitivity of the new CAD scheme was approximately 20% higher than that of the conventional CAD scheme.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that the CAD scheme developed in this study resolves the technical challenges introduced by fecal tagging, is applicable to a variety of colon preparation regimens, and provides a performance superior to that of conventional CAD schemes.

Adult nontwin sib concordance rates for type 2 diabetes, hypertension and metabolic syndrome among Asian Indians: the Indian Atherosclerosis Research Study

Diabetes (DM), hypertension (HTN), and metabolic syndrome (MS) are established cardiovascular risk factors with a complex etiology. The aim of the present study was to estimate the rates of concordance for the above coronary risk factors between siblings in Asian Indian families with premature coronary artery disease (CAD). Spouse concordance rates were used to evaluate the relative contribution of shared genes and lifestyle towards these traits. A total of 508 families comprising of 1250 sib-pairs and 463 corresponding spouse-pairs were analyzed. Concordance rates were manually determined. Plasma lipids were estimated by standard enzymatic assay. The concordance rates among sib-pairs for DM, HTN, and MS was 11% (N = 136), 14% (N = 174), and 23% (N = 287), while the corresponding concordance for spouse-pairs was 2.8% (N = 13), 6.3% (N = 29), and 28.1% (N = 130), respectively. Employing Chi-square test, sib-pairs showed significantly higher concordance for diabetes (p < or = 0.0001) and hypertension (p < 0.0001) while spouse-pairs had higher concordance for metabolic syndrome (p = 0.033) in our study. These findings suggest a probable dominant genetic component in the causation of DM and HTN and a predominantly nongenetic component for metabolic syndrome among Asian Indians.

Effect of breast density on computer aided detection

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to assess the clinical impact of breast density and density of the lesion's background on the performance of a computer-aided detection (CAD) system in the detection of breast masses (MA) and microcalcifications (MC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 200 screening mammograms interpreted as BI-RADS 1 and suspicious mammograms of 150 patients having a histologically verified malignancy from 1992 to 2000 were selected by using a sampler of tumor cases. Excluding those cases having more than one lesion or a contralateral malignancy attributable to statistical reasons, 127 cases with 127 malignant findings were analyzed with a CAD system (Second Look 5.0, CADx Systems, Inc., Beavercreek, OH). Of the 127 malignant lesions, 56 presented as MC and 101 presented as MA, including 30 cases with both malignant signs. Overall breast density of the mammogram and density of the lesion's background were determined by two observers in congruence (density a: entirely fatty, density b: scattered fibroglandular tissue, density c: heterogeneously dense, density d: extremely dense).

RESULTS

Within the unsuspicious group, 100/200 cases did not have any CAD MA marks and were therefore truly negative (specificity 50%), and 151/200 cases did not have any CAD MC marks (specificity 75.5%). For these 200 cases, the numbers of marks per image were 0.41 and 0.37 (density a), 0.38 and 0.97 (density b), 0.44 and 0.91 (density c), and 0.58 and 0.68 (density d) for MC and MA marks, respectively (Fisher's t-test: n.s. for MC, p < 0.05 for MA). Malignant lesions were correctly detected in at least one view by the CAD system for 52/56 (92.8%) MC and 91/101 (90.1%) MA. Detection rate versus breast density was: 4/6 (66.7%) and 18/19 (94.7%) (density a), 32/33 (97.0%) and 49/51 (96.1%) (density b), 14/15 (93.3%) and 23/28 (82.1%) (density c), and 2/2 (100%) and 1/3 (33.3%) (density d) for MC and MA, respectively. Detection rate versus the lesion's background was: 19/21 (90.5%) and 36/38 (94.7%) (density a), 34/36 (94.4%) and 59/62 (95.2%) (density b), 8/9 (88.9%) and 20/24 (83.3%) (density c), and 9/10 (90%) and 4/8 (50%) (density d) for groups 2 and 3, respectively. Detection rates differed significantly for masses in heterogeneously dense and extremely dense tissue (overall or lesion's background) versus all other densities (Fisher's t-test: p < 0.05). A significantly lowered FP rate for masses was found on mammograms of entirely fatty tissue.

CONCLUSION

Overall breast density and density at a lesion's background do not appear to have a significant effect on CAD sensitivity or specificity for MC. CAD sensitivity for MA may be lowered in cases with heterogeneously and extremely dense breasts, and CAD specificity for MA is highest in cases with extremely fatty breasts. The effects of overall breast density and density of a lesion's background appear to be similar.

Computer aided detection (CAD): an overview

Computer aided detection (CAD) is a technology designed to decrease observational oversights--and thus the false negative rates--of physicians interpreting medical images. Prospective clinical studies have demonstrated an increase in breast cancer detection with CAD assistance. This overview briefly describes the metrics that have been used to define CAD system performance.

Genetic study of common variants at the Apo E, Apo AI, Apo CIII, Apo B, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic lipase (LIPC) genes and coronary artery disease (CAD): variation in LIPC gene associates with clinical outcomes in patients with established CAD

BACKGROUND

Current evidence demonstrates that positive family history and several alterations in lipid metabolism are all important risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). All lipid abnormalities themselves have genetic determinants. Thus, objective of this study was to determine whether 6 genetic variants potentially related to altered lipid metabolism were associated with CAD and with lipid abnormalities in an Italian population. These genetic variables were: apolipoprotein E (Apo E), Apo AI, Apo CIII, Apo B, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and the hepatic lipase (LIPC) genes. Furthermore, an 8 years prospective analysis of clinical cardiovascular events was related to the various genetic markers.

METHODS

102 subjects with established coronary artery disease and 104 unrelated normal subjects were studied. CAD Patients were followed up for 8 years, and clinical CAD outcomes (a second coronary angioplasty (PTCA), myocardial infarction, coronary artery by-pass graft (CABG), cardiovascular deaths), available from 60 subjects, were related to the genetic variants by multiple regression analysis. Results. Of the six lipid loci studied (for a total of 11 polymorphisms) only the apolipoprotein E, Apo B and LIPC polymorphisms distinguished between case and controls. However, multivariate analysis accounting for clinical and metabolic predictors of CAD showed that only the ApoB Xba1 and ApoE4 polymorphism associated with CAD in this Italian population. When lipid parameters were related to genotypes, the ApoE, ApoB, and LIPC gene polymorphisms were associated to various markers of dyslipidaemia in the CAD patients, confirming previous reports. When the occurrence of a second cardiovascular event was related to genotypes, an independent role was observed for the LIPC gene T202T variant.

CONCLUSIONS

variation in LIPC (hepatic lipase) gene associates with clinical outcomes in Italian patients with established CAD. Further studies on the LIPC gene in CAD patients are warranted, in particular looking at the possible influences on clinical outcomes.

An auxiliary mode of apoptotic DNA fragmentation provided by phagocytes

CAD (caspase-activated DNase) can cause DNA fragmentation in apoptotic cells. Transgenic mice that ubiquitously express a caspase-resistant form of the CAD inhibitor (ICAD) were generated. Thymocytes prepared from the mice were resistant to DNA fragmentation induced by a variety of stimuli. However, similar numbers of TUNEL-positive cells were present in adult tissues of transgenic and wild-type mice. Exposure to gamma-irradiation caused a striking increase in the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the thymus of wild-type, but not transgenic, mice. TUNEL-positive nuclei in transgenic mice were confined to thymic macrophages. When apoptotic thymocytes from the transgenic mice were cocultured with macrophages, the thymocytes underwent phagocytosis and their chromosomal DNA underwent fragmentation. This DNA fragmentation was sensitive to inhibitors that block the acidification of lysosomes. Hence, we conclude that the DNA fragmentation that occurs during apoptosis not only can result cell-autonomously from CAD activity but can also be attributed to a lysosomal acid DNase(s), most likely DNase II, after the apoptotic cells are engulfed.

Transition from caspase-dependent to caspase-independent mechanisms at the onset of apoptotic execution

We have compared cytoplasmic extracts from chicken DU249 cells at various stages along the apoptotic pathway. Extracts from morphologically normal "committed stage" cells induce apoptotic morphology and DNA cleavage in substrate nuclei but require ongoing caspase activity to do so. In contrast, extracts from frankly apoptotic cells induce apoptotic events in added nuclei in a caspase-independent manner. Biochemical fractionation of these extracts reveals that a column fraction enriched in endogenous active caspases is unable to induce DNA fragmentation or chromatin condensation in substrate nuclei, whereas a caspase-depleted fraction induces both changes. Further characterization of the "execution phase" extracts revealed the presence of an ICAD/DFF45 (inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase/DNA fragmentation factor)- inhibitable nuclease resembling CAD, plus another activity that was required for the apoptotic chromatin condensation. Despite the presence of active caspases, committed stage extracts lacked these downstream activities, suggesting that the caspases and downstream factors are segregated from one another in vivo during the latent phase. These observations not only indicate that caspases act in an executive fashion, serving to activate downstream factors that disassemble the nucleus rather than disassembling it themselves, but they also suggest that activation of the downstream factors (rather than the caspases) is the critical event that occurs at the transition from the latent to active phase of apoptosis.