Objective To explore the feasibility and accuracy of dual-source computed tomography(DSCT)coronary angiography for evaluation the morphology and motion of aortic valve.Methods A total of 125 cases with suspected coronary artery disease un-derwent computed tomography coronary angiography and transthoracic echocardiography examination.Twenty CT data sets were re-constructed in 5% steps from 0% to 95% of R-R interval.The morphologic features,changes of motion and image quality of the aortic valve in cardiac cycle were observed and recorded with CT dynamic cine-mode technique.The differences of aortic opening area in the various phases of the systole were analyzed by using ANOVA.Results 92.3% of aortic valve images among the total 2500 phases were good enough for evaluated in the 125 patients examined.DSCT visualized 123 patients with tricuspid aortic valve while 2 patients with bicuspid aortic valve.27 patients with degenerative aortic valve disease were identified.CT correctly identified 26 patients with aor-tic insufficiency during diastole.Compared with TTE,3 patients were false positives and two patients were false negatives on DSCT. Aortic valve opening was seen in phase 0% to 35% in 92% of patients,and it was closed during phase 40% to 95% of R-R interval in 75.2% of patients.There were significant difference between the AVA in the various phases of the systole(F =2.97,P <0.05). Conclusion DSCT allows accurate and dynamic visualization of morphology and motion of aortic valve throughout the cardiac cycle. The area of the aortic opening is widest and image quality is best during midsystole.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of sodium selenite on telomerase activity and expression of hTERT mRNA in cadmium-transformed 16HBE cells.

METHODSTelomerase activity and expression of genes were measured after cultured cadmium-transformed 16HBE cells were exposed to sodium selenite at different doses (0.625, 1.25, 2.50, 5.00 micromol/L) for 24 hours.

RESULTSSelenium decreased telomerase activity in cadmium-transformed 16HBE cells. There existed an obvious dose-effect relationship between the selenium concentration and these changes. The expression of hTERT and c-myc mRNA also decreased but the expression of mad1 mRNA increased after exposure to selenium for 24 hours. No difference was found in expression of hTRF1 and hTRF2 mRNA after incubated with sodium selenite for 24 hours, compared with control group.

CONCLUSIONSelenium inhibits telomerase activity by decreasing hTERT and c-myc mRNA expression and increasing mad1 mRNA expression in cadmium-transformed 16HBE cells and selenium concentration is significantly correlated with these changes.

Base Sequence ; Cadmium ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Transformed ; DNA Primers ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sodium Selenite ; pharmacology ; Telomerase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics

Objective This study aimed to determine the association of hyperlipidemia with clinical endpoints among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, especially those with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and diabetes. Methods This multicenter retrospective cohort study included all patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 from 21 hospitals in Hubei province, China between December 31, 2019 and April 21, 2020. Patients who were aged < 18 or ≥ 85 years old, in pregnancy, with acute lethal organ injury (e.g., acute myocardial infarction, severe acute pancreatitis, acute stroke), hypothyroidism, malignant diseases, severe malnutrition, and those with normal lipid profile under lipid-lowering medicines (e.g., statin, niacin, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, and ezetimibe) were excluded. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis at 1:1 ratio was performed to minimize baseline differences between patient groups of hyperlipidemia and non-hyperlipidemia. PSM analyses with the same strategies were further conducted for the parameters of hyperlipidemia in patients with increased triglyceride (TG), increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Mixed-effect Cox model analysis was performed to investigate the associations of the 28-days all-cause deaths of COVID-19 patients with hyperlipidemia and the abnormalities of lipid parameters. The results were verified in male, female patients, and in patients with pre-existing CVDs and type 2 diabetes. Results Of 10 945 inpatients confirmed as COVID-19, there were 9822 inpatients included in the study, comprising 3513 (35.8%) cases without hyperlipidemia and 6309 (64.2%) cases with hyperlipidemia. Based on a mixed-effect Cox model after PSM at 1:1 ratio, hyperlipidemia was not associated with increased or decreased 28-day all-cause death [adjusted hazard ratio (
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; COVID-19/therapy* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/complications* ; Case-Control Studies ; Cause of Death ; China/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications* ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias/complications* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Propensity Score ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Objective To forecast the future burden and its attributable risk factors of infective endocarditis (IE). Method We analyzed the disease burden of IE and its risk factors from 1990 to 2019 using the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database and projected the disease burden from 2020 to 2030 using a Bayesian age-period-cohort model. Results By 2030, the incidence of IE will increase uncontrollably on a global scale, with developed countries having the largest number of cases and developing countries experiencing the fastest growth. The affected population will be predominantly males, but the gender gap will narrow. The elderly in high-income countries will bear the greatest burden, with a gradual shift to middle-income countries. The incidence of IE in countries with middle/high-middle social-demographic indicators (SDI) will surpass that of high SDI countries. In China, the incidence rate and the number of IE will reach 18.07 per 100,000 and 451,596 in 2030, respectively. IE-associated deaths and heart failure will continue to impose a significant burden on society, the burden on women will increase and surpass that on men, and the elderly in high-SDI countries will bear the heaviest burden. High systolic blood pressure has become the primary risk factor for IE-related death. Conclusions This study provides comprehensive analyses of the disease burden and risk factors of IE worldwide over the next decade. The IE-associated incidence will increase in the future and the death and heart failure burden will not be appropriately controlled. Gender, age, regional, and country heterogeneity should be taken seriously to facilitate in making effective strategies for lowering the IE disease burden.
Male ; Humans ; Female ; Aged ; Global Burden of Disease ; Bayes Theorem ; Global Health ; Risk Factors ; Cost of Illness ; Endocarditis ; Heart Failure

Background: The long-term predicted value of microvolt T-wave alternans (MTWA) for ventricular tachyarrhythmia in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) remains unclear. Our study explored the characteristics of MTWA and its prognostic value when combined with an electrophysiologic study (EPS) in patients with ARVC. Methods: All patients underwent non-invasive MTWA examination with modified moving average (MMA) analysis and an EPS. A positive event was defined as the first occurrence of sudden cardiac death, documented sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation, or the administration of appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy including shock or antitachycardia pacing. Results: Thirty-five patients with ARVC (age 38.6 ± 11.0 years; 28 males) with preserved left ventricular (LV) function were recruited. The maximal TWA value (MaxValt) was 17.0 (11.0–27.0) μV. Sustained VT was induced in 22 patients by the EPS. During a median follow-up of 99.9 ± 7.7 months, 15 patients had positive clinical events. When inducible VT was combined with the MaxValt, the area under the curve improved from 0.739 to 0.797. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that a MaxValt of 23.5 μV was the optimal cutoff value to identify positive events. The multivariate Cox regression model for survival showed that MTWA (MaxValt, hazard ratio [HR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.11; P = 0.01) and inducible VT (HR, 5.98; 95% CI, 1.33–26.8; P = 0.01) independently predicted positive events in patients with ARVC. Conclusions MTWA assessment with MMA analysis complemented by an EPS might provide improved prognostic ability in patients with ARVC with preserved LV function during long-term follow-up.