The effects of atorvastatin therapy on endothelıal function in patients with coronary artery disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Statins improve the endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, they contribute to the substantial decrease in coronary heart disease by reducing plasma cholesterol levels. They also, reduce oxidative stress, stabilize the atherosclerotic plaque and inhibit inflammatory response. These functions of statins have been briefly described as pleiotropic effects. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of atorvastatin therapy on endothelial functions in patients with CAD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fourty-nine patients (40 men, 9 women, mean age 59 +/- 11 years) with diagnosed CAD were selected as the study group. The patients were given 10 mg/day atorvastatin for 12 weeks. If the target cholesterol levels has not been achieved 6 weeks after the treatment, then the daily atorvastatin dosage has been increased. The endothelial function was evaluated by flow mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>It has been figured out that 12 weeks later, atorvastatin caused a statistically significant decrease in the plasma levels of LDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol (p < 0,0001). Meanwhile, it was determined that the FMD got statistically significant improved 12 weeks after the atorvastatin therapy (8,1%–4,2%, p < 0,001). However there was no statistically significant change in non-endothelium dependent dilatation (NID).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Endothelium derived vasodilatation (EBD), which was non-invasively detected via brachial artery ultrasonography, had statistically significant improvment within 12 weeks of atorvastatin therapy whereas non-endothelium dependent dilatation (NID) had no change.</p

Verifying integer programming results

Software for mixed-integer linear programming can return incorrect results for a number of reasons, one being the use of inexact floating-point arithmetic. Even solvers that employ exact arithmetic may suffer from programming or algorithmic errors, motivating the desire for a way to produce independently verifiable certificates of claimed results. Due to the complex nature of state-of-the-art MIP solution algorithms, the ideal form of such a certificate is not entirely clear. This paper proposes such a certificate format designed with simplicity in mind, which is composed of a list of statements that can be sequentially verified using a limited number of inference rules. We present a supplementary verification tool for compressing and checking these certificates independently of how they were created. We report computational results on a selection of MIP instances from the literature. To this end, we have extended the exact rational version of the MIP solver SCIP to produce such certificates

The Effect of the Number of Simulations on the Exponents Obtained by Finite-Size Scaling Relations of the Order Parameter and the Magnetic Susceptibility for the Four-Dimensional Ising Model on the Creutz Cellular Automaton

WOS: 000302693400031The four-dimensional Ising model is simulated on the Creutz cellular automaton using finite-size lattices with linear dimension 4a parts per thousand currency signLa parts per thousand currency sign8. The exponents in the finite-size scaling relations for the order parameter and the magnetic susceptibility at the finite-lattice critical temperature are computed to be beta=0.49(7), beta=0.49(5), beta=0.50(1) and gamma=1.04(4), gamma=1.03(4), gamma=1.02(4) for 7, 14, and 21 independent simulations, respectively. As the number of independent simulations increases, the obtained results are consistent with the renormalization group predictions of beta=0.5 and gamma=1. The values for the critical temperature of the infinite lattice T (c) (a)=6.6788(65), T (c) (a)=6.6798(69), T (c) (a)=6.6802(70) are obtained from the straight-line fit of the magnetic susceptibility maxima using 4a parts per thousand currency signLa parts per thousand currency sign8 for 7, 14, and 21 independent simulations, respectively. As the number of independent simulations increases, the obtained results are in very good agreement with the series expansion results of T (c) (a)=6.6817(15), T (c) (a)=6.6802(2), the dynamic Monte Carlo result of T (c) (a)=6.6803(1), the cluster Monte Carlo result of T (c) (a)=6.680(1) and the Monte Carlo using Metropolis and Wolff-cluster algorithm result of T (c) (a)=6.6802632 +/- 5x10(-5)

Finite-size scaling relations for a four-dimensional Ising model on Creutz cellular automatons

WOS: 000293794700004The four-dimensional Ising model is simulated on Creutz cellular automatons using finite lattices with linear dimensions 4 = 0+/-0.04. However, alpha=-0.0391(11) is inconsistent with the renormalization group prediction of alpha=0. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3610180

the European trial on Reduction of Cardiac Events with Perindopril in Stable Coronary Artery Disease Investigators. Efficacy of perindopril in reduction of cardiovascular events among patients with stable coronary artery disease: randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial (the EUROPA trial).

Background Treatment with angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduces the rate of cardiovascular events among patients with left-ventricular dysfunction and those at high risk of such events. We assessed whether the ACE inhibitor perindopril reduced cardiovascular risk in a low-risk population with stable coronary heart disease and no apparent heart failure. Methods We recruited patients from October, 1997, to June, 2000. 13 655 patients were registered with previous myocardial infarction (64%), angiographic evidence of coronary artery disease (61%), coronary revascularisation (55%), or a positive stress test only (5%). After a run-in period of 4 weeks, in which all patients received perindopril, 12 218 patients were randomly assigned perindopril 8 mg once daily (n=6110), or matching placebo (n=6108). The mean follow-up was 4·2 years, and the primary endpoint was cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or cardiac arrest. Analysis was by intention to treat. Findings Mean age of patients was 60 years (SD 9), 85% were male, 92% were taking platelet inhibitors, 62% blockers, and 58% lipid-lowering therapy. 603 (10%) placebo and 488 (8%) perindopril patients experienced the primary endpoint, which yields a 20% relative risk reduction (95% CI 9–29, p=0·0003) with perindopril. These benefits were consistent in all predefined subgroups and secondary endpoints. Perindopril was well tolerated. Interpretation Among patients with stable coronary heart disease without apparent heart failure, perindopril can significantly improve outcome. About 50 patients need to be treated for a period of 4 years to prevent one major cardiovascular event. Treatment with perindopril, on top of other preventive medications, should be considered in all patients with coronary heart disease