Case report: C-reactive protein apheresis in cardiogenic shock: case series from the C-reactive protein apheresis in acute myocardial infarction-registry

C-reactive protein (CRP) apheresis may preserve myocardial tissue after acute myocardial infarction with delayed revascularization. Ten consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock were graded using the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions shock classification and treated with CRP apheresis. All patients tolerated CRP apheresis well and were discharged in good clinical condition

Connection between Telomerase Activity in PBMC and Markers of Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a constellation of metabolic derangements associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress and is widely regarded as an inflammatory condition, accompanied by an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The present study tried to investigate the implications of telomerase activity with inflammation and impaired endothelial function in patients with metabolic syndrome. Telomerase activity in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), TNF-α, IL-6 and ADMA were monitored in 39 patients with MS and 20 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Telomerase activity in PBMC, TNF-α, IL-6 and ADMA were all significantly elevated in patients with MS compared to healthy volunteers. PBMC telomerase was negatively correlated with HDL and positively correlated with ADMA, while no association between TNF-α and IL-6 was observed. IL-6 was increasing with increasing systolic pressure both in the patients with MS and in the healthy volunteers, while smoking and diabetes were positively correlated with IL-6 only in the patients' group. In conclusion, in patients with MS characterised by a strong dyslipidemic profile and low diabetes prevalence, significant telomerase activity was detected in circulating PBMC, along with elevated markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. These findings suggest a prolonged activity of inflammatory cells in the studied state of this metabolic disorder that could represent a contributory pathway in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis

Soluble CD40 ligand and prolactin levels in migraine patients during interictal period

The relationship of migraine with cardiovascular diseases has been clarified by many studies, and currently, migraine is suggested to be a systematic vasculopathy. Inflammation, thrombosis and impaired vascular reactivity are the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of the vasculopathy. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between prolactin levels and subclinical atherosclerosis risk factors such as soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) in migraine patients during interictal period. Fifty female migraine patients and age-matched 25 female control cases were enrolled in the study. Migraine diagnosis was settled according to the ICHD-II diagnostic criteria. A questionnaire was completed about the existence of vascular risk factors. Serum samples were used to measure sCD40L, hsCRP and prolactin levels. No difference was found between the prolactin levels of the migraine patients and the controls. The sCD40L levels were significantly higher in migraine patients (p < 0.001). High-sensitivity CRP levels showed no difference between the groups. There was no correlation between prolactin, sCD40L, and hs-CRP levels in migraine patients. We consider that the migraine patients are prone to subclinical atherosclerosis, but this tendency is independent of prolactin levels

Social Media, Gender and the Mediatisation of War: Exploring the German Armed Forces’ Visual Representation of the Afghanistan Operation on Facebook

Studies on the mediatisation of war point to attempts of governments to regulate the visual perspective of their involvements in armed conflict – the most notable example being the practice of ‘embedded reporting’ in Iraq and Afghanistan. This paper focuses on a different strategy of visual meaning-making, namely, the publication of images on social media by armed forces themselves. Specifically, we argue that the mediatisation of war literature could profit from an increased engagement with feminist research, both within Critical Security/Critical Military Studies and within Science and Technology Studies that highlight the close connection between masculinity, technology and control. The article examines the German military mission in Afghanistan as represented on the German armed forces’ official Facebook page. Germany constitutes an interesting, and largely neglected, case for the growing literature on the mediatisation of war: its strong antimilitarist political culture makes the representation of war particularly delicate. The paper examines specific representational patterns of Germany’s involvement in Afghanistan and discusses the implications which arise from what is placed inside the frame of visibility and what remains out of its view

Rubbing salt into wounded endothelium: Sodium potentiates proatherogenic effects of TNF-α under non-uniform shear stress

Increased consumption of sodium is a risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. In vivo studies indicated that high dietary sodium may have a direct negative influence on endothelium. We investigated the effects of high sodium on the endothelial activation during early steps of atherogenesis. Endothelial cells (HUVECs) grown in a model of arterial bifurcations were exposed to shear stress in the presence of normal or high (+ 30 mmol/l) sodium. Adherent THP-1 cells, and the adhesion molecule expression were quantified. Sodium channel blockers, pathways' inhibitors, and siRNA against tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein (TonEBP) were used to identify the mechanisms of sodium effects on endothelium. ApoE-deficient mice on low-fat diet received water containing normal or high salt (8% w/v) for four weeks, and the influence of dietary salt on inflammatory cell adhesion in the common carotid artery and carotid bifurcation was measured by intravital microscopy. In vitro, high sodium dramatically increased the endothelial responsiveness to tumour necrosis factor-α under non-uniform shear stress. Sodium-induced increase in monocytic cell adhesion was mediated by reactive oxygen species and the endothelial nitric oxygen synthase, and was sensitive to the knockdown of TonEBP. The results were subsequently confirmed in the ApoE-deficient mice. As compared with normal-salt group, high-salt intake significantly enhanced the adhesion of circulating CD11b+ cells to carotid bifurcations, but not to the straight segment of common carotid artery. In conclusion, elevated sodium has a direct effect on endothelial activation under atherogenic shear stress in vitro and in vivo, and promotes the endothelial-leukocyte interactions even in the absence of increased lipid concentration