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Background: A growing number of cohort studies revealed an inverse association between cheese intake and cardiovascular diseases, yet the causal relationship is unclear. Objective: To assess the causal relationship between cheese intake, and cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular biomarkers. Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis based on publicly available genome-wide association studies was employed to infer the causal relationship. The effect estimates were calculated using the random-effects inverse-variance-weighted method. Results: Cheese intake per standard deviation increase causally reduced the risks of type 2 diabetes (odds ratio (OR) = 0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34–0.63; p = 1.02 × 10−6), heart failure (OR = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.49–0.79; p = 0.0001), coronary heart disease (OR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.53–0.79; p = 2.01 × 10−5), hypertension (OR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.53–0.84; p = 0.001), and ischemic stroke (OR = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63–0.91; p = 0.003). Suggestive evidence of an inverse association between cheese intake and peripheral artery disease was also observed. No associations were observed for atrial fibrillation, cardiac death, pulmonary embolism, or transient ischemic attack. The better prognosis associated with cheese intake may be explained by lower body mass index (BMI; effect estimate = −0.58; 95% CI, from −0.88 to −0.27; p = 0.0002), waist circumference (effect estimate = −0.49; 95% CI, from −0.76 to −0.23; p = 0.0003), triglycerides (effect estimate = −0.33; 95% CI, from −0.50 to −0.17; p = 4.91 × 10−5), and fasting glucose (effect estimate = −0.20; 95% CI, from −0.33 to −0.07; p = 0.0003). There was suggestive evidence of a positive association between cheese intake and high-density lipoprotein. No influences were observed for blood pressure or inflammation biomarkers. Conclusions: This two-sample MR analysis found causally inverse associations between cheese intake and type 2 diabetes, heart failure, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of fibrinolysis-first strategy on outcomes of patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during the COVID-19 pandemic was unknown. Data from STEMI patients presenting to Fuwai Hospital from January 23 to April 30, 2020 were compared with those during the equivalent period in 2019. The primary end-point was net adverse clinical events (NACE; a composite of death, non-fatal myocardial reinfarction, stroke, emergency revascularization, and bleeding over BARC type 3). The secondary outcome was a composite of recurrent ischaemia, cardiogenic shock, and exacerbated heart failure. The final analysis included 164 acute STEMI patients from 2020 and 240 from 2019. Eighteen patients (20.2% of those with indications) received fibrinolysis therapy in 2020 with a median door-to-needle time of 60.0 (43.5, 92.0) minutes. Patients in 2020 underwent primary PCI less frequently than their counterparts (14 [14.2%] vs. 144 [86.8%] in 2019, P < 0.001), and had a longer median door-to-balloon time (175 [121,213] minutes vs. 115 [83, 160] minutes in 2019, P = 0.009). Patients were more likely to undergo elective PCI (86 [52.4%] vs. 28 [11.6%] in 2019, P < 0.001). The in-hospital NACE was similar between 2020 and 2019 (14 [8.5%] vs. 25 [10.4%], P = 0.530), while more patients developed a secondary outcome in 2020 (20 [12.2%] vs. 12 [5.0%] in 2019, P = 0.009). The fibrinolysis-first strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a lower rate of timely coronary reperfusion and increased rates of recurrent ischaemia, cardiogenic shock, and exacerbated heart failure. However, the in-hospital NACE remained similar to that in 2019. • Fibrinolysis-first strategy for STEMI was used in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. • Delayed primary PCI and the index elective PCI are integral parts of the strategy. • This strategy decreased the rate of timely coronary reperfusion. • Rates of recurrent ischaemia, cardiogenic shock, and heart failure increased overall. • The strategy didn't increase the rate of in-hospital net adverse clinical events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the usage of secondary prevention drugs and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products in individuals with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) at the community level in China. Among 2,407 participants with self-reported coronary heart disease (CHD) and 872 with stroke, nearly 80% of individuals with CHD and 73% of individuals with stroke were not taking any proven secondary prevention drug. However, 32.9% of them took TCM products. Patients with CVDs in rural areas used less secondary prevention treatment, but more TCM products than their counterparts in the urban regions. After adjusting for confounding factors, lower rates of secondary prevention treatment were evident in Western China compared with Eastern China, which was more developed. Systematic change is needed to promote the development of evidence-based medicine at the community level in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Megakaryocytes (MKs) are one of the few cell types that become polyploid; however, the mechanisms by which these cells are designated to become polyploid are not fully understood. In this investigation, we successfully established two relatively synchronous polyploid cell models by inducing Dami and CMK cells with SP600125. We found that SP600125 induced the polyploidization of Dami and CMK cells, concomitant with the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) at Thr421/Ser424 and dephosphorylation at Thr389. The polyploidization was partially blocked by H-89, a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor, through direct binding to S6K1, leading to dephosphorylation at Thr421/Ser424 and phosphorylation at Thr389, independent of PKA. Overexpression of a rapamycin-resistant mutant of S6K1 further enhanced the inhibitory effect of LY294002 on the SP600125-induced polyploidization of Dami and CMK cells. SP600125 also induced the polyploidization of Meg-01 cells, which are derived from a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia, without causing a significant change in S6K1 phosphorylation. Additionally, SP600125 induced the polyploidization of HEL cells, which are derived from a patient with erythroleukemia, and phosphorylation at Thr389 of S6K1 was detected. However, the polyploidization of both Meg-01 cells and HEL cells as a result of SP600125 treatment was lower than that of SP600125-induced Dami and CMK cells, and it was not blocked by H-89 despite the increased phosphorylation of S6K1 at Thr389 in both cell lines in response to H-89. Given that the Dami and CMK cell lines were derived from patients with acute megakaryocytic leukemia (AMKL) and expressed high levels of platelet-specific antigens, our data suggested that SP600125-induced polyploidization is cell-type specific, that these cell lines were more differentiated, and that phosphorylation at Thr421/Ser424 and dephosphorylation at Thr389 of S6K1 may play an important role in the SP600125-induced polyploidization of these cell lines synergistically with other signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Li2FeSiO4 has been identified as one of the most attractive cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries because it has the ability to exchange more than one Li+ per redox-active transition-metal ion. However, this material behavior has been difficult to realize at room temperature due to the redox reaction of Fe3+/Fe4+. In this article, Li2− xFe1− xAl xSiO4/C ( x=0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.08, 0.12, and 1) nanocomposites were synthesized by using a facile sol-gel method and shown to exhibit much improved electrochemical performance at room temperature. It was found that after doping, two charge-discharge potential plateaus could be clearly obtained. In particular, the examined system, Li1.97Fe0.97Al0.03SiO4/C showed the best electrochemical performance with 209.3 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C, corresponding to a release of 1.26 Li+ per molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To examine the relation between left ventricular (LV) diastolic function and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) in diabetic individuals with or without previously diagnosed cardiovascular disease. Design. A cross-sectional population-based study. Setting. A university hospital. Subjects. A total of 205 diabetic patients were included in the study. Patients who had cardiovascular disease constituted the study group (CD group; n = 112) and patients who had no complications constituted the control group (ND group; n = 93). Left ventricular diastolic function was assessed by pulsed Doppler tissue imaging and was determined by ratio E wave/A wave. Main outcome measures. GGT levels were higher in CD Group than ND Group (25.9 ± 2.1 vs. 20.1 ± 1.5 units/L, p = 0.023). Significant difference between mean diastolic function parameters, such as E wave/A wave (0.86 ± 0.27 vs. 1.01 ± 0.36, p = 0.015), of the diabetic patients with and without cardiovascular disease was present. In this study, E wave/A wave correlated with age, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol. Negative correlations were also found between LV diastolic function and GGT (β = −0.009, p = 0.008). Conclusion. The data showed that in type 2 diabetic patients, with evident cardiac disease, metabolic parameters affect diastolic functions more than systolic functions. Besides known cardiovascular disease risk factors, GGT might be an additional marker of diastolic dysfunction in diabetes patients with cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors, myricetin (m) and kaempferol (k), were found and the inhibitory activity is both in decreased order towards MMP-2 and MMP-9. To understand the mechanism during the processes when inhibitors bind to MMP-2 and MMP-9, molecular modeling, docking, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed. The calculated results indicated that the hydroxyls on benzene ring of the inhibitors control the binding modes between inhibitors and MMPs, thus play an important role on the potency and selectivity. Besides coordinating with the N atoms of three His residues, Zn also interacts with a hydroxyl group of inhibitors by O–Zn distances of 2.66–2.78 Å in all of the docked complexes, so that the hydroxyl acts as a weak zinc binding group (ZBG). The DFT calculated results support the above analysis. The binding affinity calculations between inhibitors and MMPs present the total interaction energies in the m-MMP < k-MMP order and the solvation energy of myricetin is less than that of kaempferol, which reflect the experimental inhibitory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lower extremity atherosclerosis (LEA) is among the most serious diabetic complications and leads to non-traumatic amputations. The recently developed dual-source CT (DSCT) and 320- multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) may help to detect plaques more precisely. The aim of our study was to evaluate the differences in LEA between diabetic and non-diabetic patients using MDCT angiography.Methods: DSCT and 320-MDCT angiographies of the lower extremities were performed in 161 patients (60 diabetic and 101 non-diabetic). The plaque type, distribution, shape and obstructive natures were compared.Results: Compared with non-diabetic patients, diabetic patients had higher peripheral neuropathy, history of cerebrovascular infarction and hypertension rates. A total of 2898 vascular segments were included in the analysis. Plaque and stenosis were detected in 681 segments in 60 diabetic patients (63.1%) and 854 segments in 101 non-diabetic patients (46.9%; p <0.05). Regarding these plaques, diabetic patients had a higher incidence of mixed plaques (34.2% vs. 27.1% for non-diabetic patients). An increased moderate stenosis rate and decreased occlusion rate were observed in diabetic patients relative to non-diabetic patients (35.8% vs. 28.3%; and 6.6% vs. 11.4%; respectively). In diabetic patients, 362 (53.2%) plaques were detected in the distal lower leg segments, whereas in non-diabetic patients, 551 (64.5%) plaques were found in the proximal upper leg segments. The type IV plaque shape, in which the full lumen was involved, was detected more frequently in diabetic patients than in non-diabetic patients (13.1% vs. 8.2%).Conclusion: Diabetes is associated with a higher incidence of plaque, increased incidence of mixed plaques, moderate stenosis and localisation primarily in the distal lower leg segments. The advanced and non-invasive MDCT could be used for routine preoperative evaluations of LEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: Many studies have assessed the association between serum adiponectin and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), yet whether adiponectin is an independent risk factor for CVD remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis of 17 prospective epidemiologic studies to evaluate this relationship in the general population. Methods: PubMed and Embase databases were searched through June 2012 to identify studies meeting a priori inclusion criteria, in addition to conducting a secondary reference review. Two principle investigators respectively extracted the information with either fixed-effect model or random-effect model to calculate the relationship between adiponectin and the risk of CVD. Results: We summarized 17 prospective studies with a total of 23,717 participants. Overall, higher serum adiponectin was related to an increased risk of ischemic stroke: pooled risk ratio (RR) of 1.34 [95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.06–1.69] with no heterogeneity (Q = 1.23; P = 0.541). Serum adiponectin was not related to coronary heart disease (CHD) or CVD: pooled RR of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.85–1.08) and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.89–1.13), respectively. Conclusions: Increased serum adiponectin was related to an elevated risk of ischemic stroke, but there was no clear evidence indicating a positive relationship between adiponectin and the risk of CHD or CVD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]