Volume Articles

A Case of Myocardial Bridge Affecting Multiple Coronary Arteries

Debjit Chatterjee*

Consultant Cardiologist, Queens Hospital, Burton on Trent, UK

This is a rare coronary angiogram showing myocardial bridge affecting more than one coronary artery.

Commentary: Justifying Investing in NSQIP and New Technology

Paul M. Starker^1*, Bertram Chinn²

¹Overlook Medical Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

²Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Overlook Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Research Progress of Astaxanthin on Contrast agent induced acute kidney injury

Dongmei Gao¹ & Wenhua Li^1,2*

¹Institute of Cardiovascular Disease Research, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221002, China

²Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital Of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221002, China

Contrast agent induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a leading cause of hospital-acquired acute kidney injury as a result of more and more iodinated contrast-media use for diagnostic purposes. Previous studies have demonstrated that oxidative stress and apoptosis are established processes contributing to contrast agent induced acute kidney injury. Astaxanthin (ATX), a carotenoid found in microalgae, fungi, complex plants, seafood, flamingos and quail has been confirmed have anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptosis effects. Experimental investigations in a range of species using a contrast agent induced acute kidney injury model demonstrated kidney preservation when ATX is administered prior to the induction of contrast agent. ATX?as an natural antioxidant?is capable to prevent CI-AKI effectively?and the mechanism is possibly related to anti-oxidant and anti-apoptosis. In this mini review, we brie?y summarize the potential for ATX as a protector against CI-AKI pathologies.

Metacognitive Therapy for anxiety and depression in cardiac rehabilitation: Commentary on the UK National Institute of Health Research funded PATHWAY programme

Adrian Wells^1,2,* & Cintia Faija^1,2

¹The University of Manchester, School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom

²Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Rawnsley Building, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 9WL, United Kingdom

Anxiety and depression are common amongst cardiac patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation and are associated with poorer health, poor quality of life and higher economic costs. There is a paucity of effective psychological treatments and their provision in this care pathway. A new treatment that is proving highly effective in mental health settings, named metacognitive therapy (MCT), could offer a way forward. This commentary delineates the problem of psychological distress (defined by anxiety and depression symptoms) in cardiac rehabilitation, highlights the limitations of current treatment and describes the PATHWAY research programme funded by the UK National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) to translate and test the metacognitive therapy in this population.

Commentary on the "Increasing gap in man height between rich and poor countries linked to the ingest of nitrogen and phosphorus". Implications for heart health

Penuelas, J^1,2* & Sardans, J^1,2*

¹ CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CEAB-UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Catalonia, Spain

² CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Catalonia, Spain

Rich countries have higher per capita food N and P intake than poor countries. This difference translates into higher human height. The differences among countries provide additional evidence on geopolitical disequilibrium in human wellness distribution but it also may have consequences on the incidence of hearth health. More N and P fertilizer sources are necessary, and they have to be adequately used in poor-countries to solve this additional gap between rich and poor countries.

Genetic targeting of astrocytes in the gliovascular unit of the adult brain

Allen PF Chen^1,2*, Rachel Kéry^1,2, and Shaoyu Ge¹

¹Medical Scientist Training Program, Stony Brook, New York, USA

²Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, SUNY Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA

The acute nature of neurological stroke disorders highlights the massive dependence of the brain on oxygen and energy supplies. The mechanisms of neural blood flow regulation have been intensely studied but are still unclear. Astrocytes are glial cells that communicate with both neurons and blood vessels, making them a cellular candidate for mediating neuronal blood flow. Evidence suggests that perivascular astrocytes of the brain do in part mediate blood flow corresponding to neuronal activity. However, the role of astrocytes in this respect is still to be defined and characterized. Fortunately, many recent technologies have emerged that allow us to investigate how astrocytes may accomplish this task. Gene expression strategies with rodent lines and viral transduction have allowed us to investigate astrocytes in a more targeted manner. Additionally, a variety of tools used previously to study neurons are now being applied to astrocytes. Studying how astrocytes may orchestrate brain blood flow is important for our ability to understand and treat neurovascular disease. We review current methods used to experimentally target, monitor, and manipulate astrocytes in the context of mediating neuronal blood flow.

Graft aneurysm as long-term complication of a polyester prosthesis - short review based on a systematic review of literature

Barth U¹, Wasseroth K¹, Meyer F^2*

¹Center of Vascular medicine, Aschersleben / Schönebeck (certified by the “German Society for Vascular Surgery and Vascular Medicine“), AMEOS Hospital, Schönebeck, Germany

²Dept. of General, Abdominal, Vascular and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital at Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany

Introduction: A material-associated non-anastomotic aneurysm after previous use of a vascular prosthesis for arterial reconstruction mostly in peripheral arterial occlusion disease (PAOD) is considered a rare but serious complication.

Aim & method: The aim of the compact short review was – based on selected topic-related references from the medical literature as – to describe the rare finding of prosthetic non-anastomotic aneurysm and its diagnosis-specific care.

Results (complex patient- & clinical finding-associated corner points): Twenty articles were finally evaluated out of initially 321 references found in the literature search, which had been published since 1995. Most frequently, pseudoaneurysms of knitted polyester prostheses at the femoro-popliteal segment occurred after approximately 12.9 years in average. In one third of cases, two or more non-anastomotic aneurysms of Dacron prostheses were described. Histological and electron-microscopic investigations revealed mainly breakings of filaments and foreign body reactions. In more than half of the patients, the non-anastomotic aneurysm was resected and for reconstruction, a novel vascular prosthesis used as inter-positioned vascular segment was implanted. Complete removal of the prosthesis and endovascular therapy were only 2nd choice.

Conclusion: Development of prosthetic non-anastomotic aneurysms has not been satisfyingly clarified yet. It belongs to the late complication profile - even it occurs rarely - and should be controlled after a postoperative interval of approximately one decade if the arterial recanalization/reconstruction was performed using prosthetic material after previously – in the sequential approach – endovascular intervention and venous bypass could not be used.

Potential Use of Multifunctional Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

Clement Kleinstreuer ^1,2*, Sriram Vasudevan Chari ¹, Shantanu Vachhani ¹

¹Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States

²Joint UNC-NCSU Department of Biomedical Engineering, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States

Integrative Approach to the Management of Cardiometabolic Diseases

Gundu H. R. Rao^1,2*

¹Emeritus Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Minneapolis, MN, USA

²Director Thrombosis Research, Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA