The New Extended Family: The Experience of Parents and Children after Remarriage

During the past 2 decades, the nuclear family, the predominant family form in the United States, has appeared to be more ephemeral than was once imagined by social scientists. Historians and demographers have shown that this family form was not nearly so common in earlier times as was once thought (Cherlin, 1981; Hareven, 1978). Paradoxically the nuclear family (ironically, now referred to as the traditional family) was more common in 1950 than in 1850 because of high rates of mortality, illness, and economic uncertainty (Uhlenberg, 1974). Large numbers of people never married or never had children, and among those who did, the prospect of living a settled and secure life was much lower than is nostalgically recalled

Over-Expression of PDGFR-β Promotes PDGF-Induced Proliferation, Migration, and Angiogenesis of EPCs through PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway

The proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play critical roles in postnatal neovascularization and re-endothelialization following vascular injury. Here we evaluated whether the over-expression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFR-β) can enhance the PDGF-BB-stimulated biological functions of EPCs through the PDGFR-β/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. We first confirmed the expression of endogenous PDGFR-β and its plasma membrane localization in spleen-derived EPCs. We then demonstrated that the PDGFR-β over-expression in EPCs enhanced the PDGF-BB-induced proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of EPCs. Using AG1295 (a PDGFR kinase inhibitor), LY294002 (a PI3K inhibitor), and sc-221226 (an Akt inhibitor), we further showed that the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway participates in the PDGF-BB-induced proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of EPCs. In addition, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is required for PDGFR-β over-expression to enhance these PDGF-BB-induced phenotypes

Safety and Efficacy of Biodegradable Drug-Eluting vs. Bare Metal Stents: A Meta-Analysis from Randomized Trials

<div><p>Background</p><p>Biodegradable polymeric coatings have been proposed as a promising strategy to enhance biocompatibility and improve the delayed healing in the vessel. However, the efficacy and safety of biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents (BP-DES) vs. bare metal stents (BMS) are unknown. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the outcomes of BP-DES vs. BMS.</p><p>Methods and Results</p><p>PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched for randomized clinical trials, until December 2013, that compared any of approved BP-DES and BMS. Efficacy endpoints were target-vessel revascularization (TVR), target-lesion revascularization (TLR) and in-stent late loss (ISLL). Safety endpoints were death, myocardial infarction (MI), definite stent thrombosis (DST). The meta-analysis included 7 RCTs with 2,409 patients. As compared with BMS, there was a significantly reduced TVR (OR [95% CI] = 0.37 [0.28–0.50]), ISLL (OR [95% CI] = −0.41 [−0.48–0.34]) and TLR (OR [95% CI] = 0.38 [0.27–0.52]) in BP-DES patients. However, there were no difference for safety outcomes between BP-DES and BMS.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>BP-DES is more effective in reducing ISLL, TVR and TLR, as safe as standard BMS with regard to death, ST and MI. Further large RCTs with long-term follow-up are warranted to better define the relative merits of BP-DES.</p></div

Vessel Size and Lesion Length of the included studies.

<p>Vessel Size and Lesion Length of the included studies.</p

Individual and summary odds ratios for myocardial infarction in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.

<p>Individual and summary odds ratios for myocardial infarction in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.</p

Standardized mean difference (SMD) for ISLL in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.

<p>Standardized mean difference (SMD) for ISLL in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.</p

Main characteristics of the included studies.

<p>Main characteristics of the included studies.</p

Target Vessel, Stent Length and Stent Diameter of the included studies.

<p>Target Vessel, Stent Length and Stent Diameter of the included studies.</p

Individual and summary odds ratios for definite stent thrombosis (DST) in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.

<p>Individual and summary odds ratios for definite stent thrombosis (DST) in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.</p