Objective To explore the non-invasive diagnostic criteria of magnetocardiography (MCG) for coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMVD), and its value in dynamically assessing drug treatment for CMVD. Methods Patients who presented with chest tightness or chest pain at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from September 2024 to March 2025 were consecutively enrolled, and all of whom had non-obstructive coronary arteries on angiography. Using the coronary angiography-derived index of microcirculatory resistance (caIMR) as the gold standard, patients were divided into a normal microcirculation group (caIMR≤40 U) and a CMVD group (caIMR＞40 U). MCG testing was performed using a domestic device (MD-U041001, Mind Medical). Patients in the CMVD group received adenosine treatment and underwent repeat MCG after medication. Differences in MCG parameters between the two groups were analyzed, and a diagnostic model was established. The value of the diagnostic model was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results A total of 311 patients were included, with 135 in the normal microcirculation group and 176 in the CMVD group. The CMVD group had a significantly higher proportion of males (61.9% vs 47.4%, P＝0.012), and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels ([1.16±0.31] mmol/L vs [1.24±0.29] mmol/L, P＝0.029) than the normal group. Eleven MCG parameters showed significant differences between the two groups (P＜0.05), among which increased values of mfm_QR_epav, mfm_RS_epmse, space_zeroRTrot, as well as decreased value of mfm_QR_v1 were independent predictors of CMVD. The diagnostic model based on these 11 MCG parameters yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.688 (95%CI 0.629-0.747). The integrated diagnostic model combining clinical risk factors (male, smoking history, HDL-C) with MCG parameters had an AUC of 0.701 (95%CI 0.643-0.759). After adenosine treatment, patients in the CMVD group showed significant decreases in mfm_QR_epav (P＝0.010), mfm_RS_sad (P＝0.013), and mfm_RS_epmse (P＝0.046). Conclusions The model based on MCG parameters demonstrates good diagnostic ability for CMVD; dynamic changes in MCG parameters following adenosine intervention may serve as potential objective indicators for evaluating microcirculatory treatment efficacy.

Objective To explore the correlations of the severity degrees of coronary stenosis with cardiac function and exercise tolerance. Methods A total of 112 patients who underwent coronary angiography in Cardiology Department of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University between October 2024 and January 2025 were enrolled. According to the imaging results, the Gensini score was calculated, and the patients were divided into three groups based on the scores: mild group (＜20 points, n＝42), moderate group (20-40 points, n＝43), and severe group (＞40 points, n＝27). The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level and its abnormal elevation ratio, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and grip strength were compared among the groups. The correlations between Gensini score and various indicators were analyzed using multivariate linear regression. And the multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the related factors of severe coronary stenosis. Results The 6MWD and LVEF values in the severe group were lower than those in the mild and moderate groups (P＜0.01), while the NT-proBNP level and its abnormal elevation ratio in the severe group were higher than those in the mild group (P＜0.05). The Gensini score was negatively correlated with 6MWD (β＝−0.965, P＜0.01), and positively correlated with NT-proBNP level and its abnormal elevation ratio (β＝0.015, P＜0.001; β＝0.003, P＝0.037). 6MWD and diabetes were independent related factors of severe coronary stenosis (OR＝0.956, P＜0.001; OR＝5.701, P＝0.038). Conclusions The cardiac function and exercise tolerance in patients with severe coronary stenosis decrease, 6MWD is helpful of recognizing severe coronary stenosis population.

Objective To explore the functional impact of A-to-I editing in the seed region of miR-411 during post-myocardial infarction (MI) fibrosis and elucidate its therapeutic potential. Methods Integrating GEO database with myocardial RNA-seq data from MI mouse models, we identified dynamic A-to-I RNA editing in small noncoding RNAs across MI progression (1 day to 8 weeks post-MI). Four miRNAs exhibited differential editing rates between MI and controls, with miR-411 showing progressive editing enhancement at seed region position 4 (P＜0.01). This editing event was validated in both murine MI models and human heart failure specimens. Results The A-to-I editing ratio change of the 4th nucleotide in the seed region of miR-411 mainly occurs in cardiac fibroblasts rather than cardiomyocytes, and the editing at this site depends on ADAR2 rather than ADAR1. Edited miR-411 (ED-miR-411) diverged from wild-type miR-411 (WT-miR-411) in suppressing collagen-related pathways (extracellular matrix [ECM]-receptor interaction, collagen-containing ECM, ECM organization; P＜0.01) in cardiac fibroblasts. Mechanistically, dual-luciferase assays confirmed ED-miR-411 directly targeted the 3′UTR and suppressed expression of type Ⅱ transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta receptor (TGFBR2) and CD44, which were key drivers of TGF-β-mediated fibroblast activation. ED-miR-411 overexpression blunted TGF-β-induced collagen synthesis and myofibroblast proliferation (P＜0.05). In vivo, intramyocardial delivery of ED-miR-411 mimics at 1 week post-MI reduced fibrosis by 40% and improved ejection fraction by 15% (P＜0.01 vs controls), whereas WT-miR-411 showed no therapeutic effect. Conclusions A-to-I editing of miR-411 emerges as an endogenous anti-fibrotic mechanism by repressing TGFBR2 and CD44, thereby disrupting TGF-β signaling and ECM dysregulation. Our findings highlight ED-miR-411 as a novel RNA-based therapeutic candidate to mitigate post-infarction cardiac remodeling.

The saphenous vein graft (SVG) remains the most commonly used conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), yet its limited long-term patency adversely affects patient outcomes. SVG failure is a multistage pathological process, characterized by early thrombosis, intermediate intimal hyperplasia, and late atherosclerotic degeneration. These changes are driven by endothelial dysfunction induced by ischemia-reperfusion and mechanical injury, smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation, inflammatory activation, and conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Preventive strategies for SVG failure have increasingly focused on both surgical and pharmacological optimization. Surgical approaches include appropriate target vessel and anastomotic site selection, refinement of SVG harvesting techniques (notably the no-touch technique and endoscopic vein harvesting), optimization of graft configurations, and routine intraoperative graft flow assessment. Postoperative secondary prevention is essential, as antithrombotic and lipid-lowering therapies have been shown to reduce SVG occlusion. In addition, emerging therapies, including gene-based interventions, antiproliferative agents, novel graft preservation solutions, and external vein graft supports, show promise in improving SVG durability. Integrated multimodal strategies may further reduce SVG failure and improve long-term outcomes after CABG. This article provides a review of researches related to SVG failure, including the mechanisms of failure, intraoperative preventive measures, pharmacological prevention, and recent advances in treatment, aiming to offer insights for clinical diagnosis, treatment and future studies.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to observe the protective effect of Huamoyan granules on knee osteoarthritis （KOA） and explore whether its protective effect is oriented toward an anti-inflammatory direction by regulation of macrophage polarization， which can effectively inhibit the progression of pathological inflammatory response， reduce the release of inflammatory pain mediators， and downregulate the protein expression level of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 （TRPV1）， so as to provide experimental evidence for its clinical application and investigate its action mechanism. MethodsAfter adaptive feeding， Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into six groups： sham group， model group， celecoxib group， and high， medium， and low-dose synovitis granule groups （9.6， 4.8， 2.4 g·kg^-1）. The administration dose of celecoxib capsules was 20 mg·kg^-1. There were 10 rats in the sham group and 12 rats in the model group and each administration group. A KOA animal model was established by means of intra-articular injection of sodium iodoacetate into the knee joint. From the 10^th day of the experiment， each administration group was given intragastric administration at a dose of 10 mL·kg^-1 for 4 weeks. General conditions of rats in each group were assessed daily. The pressure pain threshold （PPT） to mechanical stimulation and joint diameter were recorded. X-ray examination was performed on the right knee joints of rats for imaging analysis. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was performed to detect the tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， serum interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and other pro-inflammatory cytokines in rat serum samples， as well as the expression levels of neurogenic inflammatory mediators such as nerve growth factor （NGF） and calcitonin gene-related peptide （CGRP）. Histopathological changes in the knee joint synovial tissues were examined by hematoxylineosin （HE） staining. Safranin O-fast green staining was performed to observe and evaluate the degree of knee cartilage lesions. Western blot was employed to quantitatively analyze TRPV1， p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK）， and phosphorylated （p）-p38 MAPK in rat knee synovial tissues. Immunofluorescence （IF） was used to measure and assess M1/M2 macrophage polarization. ResultsCompared with those in the sham group， the circumference and joint diameter of the right knee were markedly enlarged in the model group （P<0.01）， while PPTs of rats showed a significant reduction （P<0.01）. The contents of IL-1β， TNF-α， CGRP， and NGF in rats' serum were significantly elevated （P<0.01）， and the synovial Krenn score was increased （P<0.01）. The Mankin score of cartilage tissue was increased （P<0.01）， and the protein expressions of TRPV1 and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK were significantly upregulated （P<0.01）. The experimental intervention significantly reduced the proportion of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages in the total macrophage population （P<0.01）， and the percentage of M2 macrophages was decreased （P<0.01）. The M1/M2 macrophage ratio was significantly elevated （P<0.01）. Knee joint diameters of all dose groups of Huamoyan granules and the celecoxib group were reduced （P<0.01） compared with those of the model group， and the PPT recovery speeds in the high and medium-dose groups of Huamoyan granules were more obvious （P<0.05）. The contents of IL-1β， CGRP， and NGF in the rats' serum in all administration groups were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the content of TNF-α in rats' serum was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. All dose groups of Huamoyan granules demonstrated significant reductions in both synovial Krenn score （P<0.05， P<0.01） and protein expression of TRPV1 and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK in rats' synovial tissues （P<0.01）. The percentage of M1 macrophages in the synovial tissues of the celecoxib group and all dose groups of Huamoyan granules was decreased （P<0.01）. The percentage of M2 macrophages was increased （P<0.05）， and the M1/M2 ratio was decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuamoyan granules can alleviate the inflammatory response of KOA， reduce the release of inflammatory pain mediators， and downregulate TRPV1 protein expression by regulating macrophage polarization. Its mechanism may be related to the TRPV1/p38 MAPK signaling pathway， thereby achieving the effect of improving peripheral pain hypersensitivity in KOA.

Objective To investigate the impact of graft type on perioperative outcomes and long-term prognosis in patients undergoing surgical repair of post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal rupture (VSR) with concurrent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from patients who underwent VSR repair and concurrent CABG at Fuwai Hospital between 2005 and 2022. Patients were divided into an arterial graft group and a saphenous vein graft (SVG)-only group based on the type of bypass grafts used. Clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 92 patients were included, comprising 56 males and 36 females, with a mean age of (62.4±7.9) years. The arterial graft group consisted of 60 patients, and the SVG-only group consisted of 32 patients. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in age, gender, body mass index, past medical history, time interval from myocardial infarction to surgery, or culprit vessel distribution (P>0.05). A higher proportion of patients in the SVG-only group received preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support (56.3% vs. 35.0%, P=0.049). However, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, and early mortality rates were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). Follow-up data revealed no statistically significant differences in cumulative 10-year survival (82.8% vs. 80.0%, P=0.940) or freedom from major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (49.6% vs. 58.6%, P=0.491) between the SVG-only and arterial graft groups. Furthermore, graft type did not significantly affect long-term mortality in patients with a culprit vessel in the left anterior descending artery or those with multivessel disease. Conclusion In patients undergoing delayed repair of VSR with concomitant CABG, the use of arterial or saphenous vein grafts does not significantly impact perioperative outcomes or long-term prognosis. Future research should further explore the benefits of different revascularization strategies to optimize treatment for this population.

Objective To assess the echogenicity of the ultrasound-guided catheter and its associated delivery system. Methods The study consisted of in vitro characterization experiments and animal studies. In the in vitro phase, the acoustic and mechanical properties of the ultrasound-guided catheter were compared with those of the traditional MPA2 catheter, including parameters such as echo intensity, recognizability, and angle dependence. In the animal experiments, a ventricular septal defect (VSD) model was established in miniature pigs to compare the procedural performance of the ultrasound-guided delivery system versus the conventional system. Evaluation indicators included the time required for the system to cross the VSD, the detection rate of the system within the right ventricle, and the occurrence of intraoperative complications. Results The ultrasound-guided catheter demonstrated a significantly higher mean echo intensity than the MPA2 catheter [(237.3±1.8) dB vs. (190.9±13.1) dB, P<0.001] and a markedly improved recognizability rate (82.3%±5.6% vs. 26.7%±3.2%, P<0.001), along with better angle independence and image quality. In animal experiments, the ultrasound-guided delivery system significantly reduced the time required to cross the VSD [(18.5±5.7) min vs. (30.3±4.5) min, P<0.001] and substantially increased the detection rate within the right ventricle (100.0% vs. 30.0%). No severe complications occurred in any experimental animal. Conclusion The ultrasound-guided catheter and its corresponding delivery system exhibite superior ultrasound visibility and operational performance in both in vitro and animal experiments, indicating strong potential for clinical application.

ObjectiveTo elucidate the effects of autonomic neuromodulators [calcium chloride (CaCl₂)-acetylcholine (ACh)] on atrial electrical remodeling and histopathological changes in rats, thereby providing evidence for further investigation into the pathological mechanisms by which autonomic imbalance induces atrial fibrillation (AF). MethodsTen 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into experimental and control groups, with 5 rats in each group. The experimental group received daily tail vein injections of a CaCl₂-ACh mixed solution for 28 days, while the control group received an equal volume of saline. Surface electrocardiograms were recorded before and after daily administration. On day 28 of administration, under isoflurane inhalation anesthesia, echocardiography was performed, and then the rats were euthanized by exsanguination under isoflurane anesthesia for tissue collection. Body weight and heart weight of rats were measured, and electrophysiological parameters including AF inducibility, conduction velocity, and conduction dispersion in isolated rat hearts were monitored using the MappingLab multichannel electrophysiological mapping system. HE staining was performed to evaluate atrial tissue architecture and inflammatory cell infiltration. The expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) were analyzed by Western blotting. Masson staining was used to quantitatively analyze the proportional distribution of collagen fibers and myocardial fibers, and to calculate the area of collagen deposition, thereby evaluating the degree of myocardial fibrosis. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining was used to evaluate morphological changes of cardiomyocytes. Dihydroethidium (DHE) staining was used to detect the level of oxidative stress in atrial myocytes. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to detect atrial cell apoptosis. ResultsCompared with the control group, the experimental group showed obvious arrhythmias on electrocardiograms. Echocardiography after 28 days of administration revealed significant structural remodeling in the experimental group, with a marked increase in left atrial anteroposterior diameter (P < 0.05), and also showed cardiac dysfunction, with significant decreases in left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular fractional shortening (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed a significantly increased heart weight-to-body weight ratio (P < 0.05), a markedly higher AF inducibility (P < 0.001), a significantly slowed atrial conduction velocity (P < 0.05), an uneven isochronal map with irregular directions, and a significantly increased conduction dispersion (P < 0.01). HE staining showed that atrial myocytes in the experimental group were disorganized, with slight inflammatory cell infiltration. Western blotting showed that the expression levels of MMP-9 and IL-1β in the atrial tissue of the experimental group were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). Masson staining showed a significant increase in collagen deposition and a significant increase in fibrosis area in the atrial tissue of the experimental group (P < 0.001). WGA staining showed that cardiomyocytes in the experimental group were significantly hypertrophied compared with the control group (P < 0.05). DHE staining and TUNEL staining revealed that the level of oxidative stress in atrial myocytes (P < 0.001) and the apoptotic rate (P < 0.01) were both significantly increased. Conclusion Daily tail vein injections of the autonomic neuromodulator CaCl₂-ACh mixed solution for 28 days can successfully induce AF in rats, accompanied by significant atrial structural remodeling, electrical remodeling, and oxidative stress.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and short-term prognosis of postoperative acute myocardial infarction (PAMI) after cardiac surgery. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 45 PAMI patients who underwent coronary angiography after cardiac surgery at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, from February 2015 to February 2025. General information, type of surgery, onset time and causes of PAMI, and in-hospital recovery condition were collected. Univariate logistic regression was used to analyze factors related to in-hospital survival. Results The patients’ age was (62.40±11.72) years, 31 cases (68.89%) were male, 21 cases (46.67%) had hypertension. Twenty-six patients (57.78%) underwent cardiac valve surgery, and 16 patients (35.56%) received coronary artery bypass grafting. The onset time of PAMI was 24 (0, 48) hours, with 38 cases (84.44%) developing within 48 hours after surgery. Twenty-eight patients (62.22%) presented with new lesions in coronary arteries/bypass grafts, and 20 patients (44.44%) were considered to have thrombus-induced PAMI. Nine patients died in hospital, 13 patients failed to recover and were discharged automatically, and 23 patients were discharged after recovery. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that new lesion in coronary arteries/bypass grafts was risk factor for in-hospital survival (OR=0.235, P=0.036). Conclusions PAMI frequently occurs within 48 hours post-cardiac surgery, and thrombosis is the most common cause of PAMI. New lesions in coronary arteries/bypass grafts are closely correlated with poor short-term prognosis.