Intramyocardial thrombin promotes angiogenesis and improves cardiac function in an experimental rabbit model of acute myocardial infarction

Objective Thrombin has been reported to play a pivotal role in the initiation of angiogenesis by indirectly regulating and organizing a network of angiogenic molecules. On the basis of these reports, we investigated the angiogenic action of thrombin in a rabbit model of acute myocardial infarction. Methods A rabbit model of acute myocardial infarction was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary branch. Subjects were then divided into 2 groups and treated with intramyocardial administration of thrombin (2500 IU; n = 13) or an equal volume of normal saline (n = 13). Four weeks later, animals were euthanized and histopathologic analysis, immunohistochemical staining for endothelial markers CD31 and vascular endothelial growth factor-A, and electron microscopy examination were performed on excised hearts. Electrocardiography, cardiac enzymes, and assessment of cardiac function by measuring left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and ejection fraction were recorded before and after myocardial infarction, and both left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and ejection fraction were further measured on the day of euthanasia (n = 5-8 in each case). Results Increased levels of troponin, ST elevation, and histopathologically confirmed myocardial infarction were observed in all animals. A significant increase of microvessel density at the infarct border zone, as evaluated by CD31 immunohistochemistry, was observed in the thrombin-treated group compared with the control group (30.3 ± 12.8 vs 12.6 ± 4.8, P =.0065). A significantly higher number of vascular endothelial growth factor-A-positive vessels at the infarct border zone was observed in the thrombin-treated animals compared with the control group (21.8 ± 8.9 vs 5.6 ± 4.4; P =.0009). The thrombin-treated animals showed a statistically significant reduction in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure values (6.9 ± 1.8 mm Hg vs 12.7 ± 2.2 mm Hg, P =.0002) and significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (59.8% ± 3.1% vs 42.2% ± 6.14%, P =.002) on the day of euthanasia compared with the post-infarct day, reflecting significantly improved cardiac function compared with control subjects that showed no significant change. Conclusions Intramyocardial administration of thrombin seems to promote angiogenesis and improve cardiac function of the ischemic myocardium, which may provide a new therapeutic approach in patients with myocardial ischemia

Higgs Boson Studies at the Tevatron

We combine searches by the CDF and D0 Collaborations for the standard model Higgs boson with mass in the range 90--200 GeV$/c^2$ produced in the gluon-gluon fusion, $WH$, $ZH$, $t{\bar{t}}H$, and vector boson fusion processes, and decaying in the $H\rightarrow b{\bar{b}}$, $H\rightarrow W^+W^-$, $H\rightarrow ZZ$, $H\rightarrow\tau^+\tau^-$, and $H\rightarrow \gamma\gamma$ modes. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of up to 10 fb$^{-1}$ and were collected at the Fermilab Tevatron in $p{\bar{p}}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV. The searches are also interpreted in the context of fermiophobic and fourth generation models. We observe a significant excess of events in the mass range between 115 and 140 GeV/$c^2$. The local significance corresponds to 3.0 standard deviations at $m_H=125$ GeV/$c^2$, consistent with the mass of the Higgs boson observed at the LHC, and we expect a local significance of 1.9 standard deviations. We separately combine searches for $H \to b\bar{b}$, $H \to W^+W^-$, $H\rightarrow\tau^+\tau^-$, and $H\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$. The observed signal strengths in all channels are consistent with the presence of a standard model Higgs boson with a mass of 125 GeV/$c^2$

Sarcopenia: its assessment, etiology, pathogenesis, consequences and future

Sarcopenia is a loss of muscle protein mass and loss of muscle function. It occurs with increasing age, being a major component in the development of frailty. Current knowledge on its assessment, etiology, pathogenesis, consequences and future perspectives are reported in the present review. On-going and future clinical trials on sarcopenia may radically change our preventive and therapeutic approaches of mobility disability in older peopleY. Rolland, S. Czerwinski, G. Abellan Van Kan, J.E. Morley, M. Cesari, G. Onder, J. Woo, R. Baumgartner, F. Pillard, Y. Boirie, W.M.C. Chumlea, B. Vella

Evidence for a Particle Produced in Association with Weak Bosons and Decaying to a Bottom-Antibottom Quark Pair in Higgs Boson Searches at the Tevatron

We combine searches by the CDF and D0 Collaborations for the associated production of a Higgs boson with a W or Z boson and subsequent decay of the Higgs boson to a bottom-antibottom quark pair. The data, originating from Fermilab Tevatron p[bar over p] collisions at √s=1.96  TeV, correspond to integrated luminosities of up to 9.7  fb[superscript -1]. The searches are conducted for a Higgs boson with mass in the range 100–150  GeV/c[superscript 2]. We observe an excess of events in the data compared with the background predictions, which is most significant in the mass range between 120 and 135  GeV/c[superscript 2]. The largest local significance is 3.3 standard deviations, corresponding to a global significance of 3.1 standard deviations. We interpret this as evidence for the presence of a new particle consistent with the standard model Higgs boson, which is produced in association with a weak vector boson and decays to a bottom-antibottom quark pair