The complex interplay among atherosclerosis, inflammation, and degeneration in ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms

OBJECTIVE: To assess the histopathological findings of a large series of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) surgical specimens applying the updated classification on noninflammatory degenerative and inflammatory aortic diseases proposed by the Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology and the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology clinicopathological correlations. METHODS: A total of 255 patients surgically treated for ascending TAA were enrolled. Surgical ascending aorta specimens were examined. RESULTS: The histopathological substrate of ascending TAAs was mainly degenerative (67.5%), but with a remarkable prevalence of atherosclerotic lesions (18.8%) and aortitis (13.7%). Degenerative patients more frequently had bicuspid aortic valve (37.2%; P = .002). Patients in the atherosclerotic group were older (median age, 69 years; P < .001), more often with a history of hypertension (87.5%; P = .059), hypercholesterolemia (75%; P = .019), diabetes (16.6%; P = .054), current smoking (22.9%; P = .066), and a history of coronary artery disease (18.7%; P = .063). Patients with aortitis represented the older group (median age, 75 years, P < .001), were mostly females (68.6%; P < .001), and had a larger ascending aorta diameter (median, 56 mm; P < .001). Both patients with atherosclerosis and aortitis presented a higher incidence of concomitant abdominal aortic aneurysm (20.8% and 22.8%, respectively; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Although degenerative histopathology is the most frequent substrate in ascending TAA, atherosclerosis and inflammation significantly contribute to the development of chronic aortic thoracic disease

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents for tumor diagnosis

10.1260/2040-2295.4.1.23Journal of Healthcare Engineering4123-4

Three-Dimensional Automated, Machine-Learning-Based Left Heart Chamber Metrics: Associations with Prevalent Vascular Risk Factors and Cardiovascular Diseases

Background. Three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3DE) powered by artificial intelligence provides accurate left chamber quantification in good accordance with cardiac magnetic resonance and has the potential to revolutionize our clinical practice. Aims. To evaluate the association and the independent value of dynamic heart model (DHM)-derived left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) metrics with prevalent vascular risk factors (VRFs) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in a large, unselected population. Materials and Methods. We estimated the association of DHM metrics with VRFs (hypertension, diabetes) and CVDs (atrial fibrillation, stroke, ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathies, &gt;moderate valvular heart disease/prosthesis), stratified by prevalent disease status: participants without VRFs or CVDs (healthy), with at least one VRFs but without CVDs, and with at least one CVDs. Results. We retrospectively included 1069 subjects (median age 62 [IQR 49&ndash;74]; 50.6% women). When comparing VRFs with the healthy, significant difference in maximum and minimum indexed atrial volume (LAVi max and LAVi min), left atrial ejection fraction (LAEF), left ventricular mass/left ventricular end-diastolic volume ratio, and left ventricular global function index (LVGFI) were recorded (p &lt; 0.05). In the adjusted logistic regression, LAVi min, LAEF, LV ejection fraction, and LVGFI showed the most robust association (OR 3.03 [95% CI 2.48&ndash;3.70], 0.45 [95% CI 0.39&ndash;0.51], 0.28 [95% CI 0.22&ndash;0.35], and 0.22 [95% CI 0.16&ndash;0.28], respectively, with CVDs. Conclusions. The present data suggested that novel 3DE left heart chamber metrics by DHM such as LAEF, LAVi min, and LVGFI can refine our echocardiographic disease discrimination capacity

Uncaria tomentosa: A promising source of therapeutic agents for prevention and treatment of oxidative stress and cancer.

Uncaria tomentosa, called “uña de gato,” belonging to the Rubiaceae family, is a thorny liana that grows wild in the upper Amazon region of Peru and neighboring countries. The indigenous people of Amazonian rain forest have used its root/bark over the centuries for the treatment of several diseases, and this plant is believed to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumoral properties. Many active compounds have been isolated from U. tomentosa, including antioxidants such as tannin, catechins, procyanidins, sterols, triterpenes, flavonoids, carboxyl alkyl esters, and indole and oxindole alkaloids. In particular, alkaloids, the major active components of Uncaria species, have been extensively studied for their potential use as anticancer agents. In this chapter, some aspects of the actions of U. tomentosa on oxidative stress and cancer have been discussed, after having characterized the plant and mentioned the biochemistry of oxidative stress