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Innovative lipid-modifying agents are valuable resources to improve the control of atherogenic dyslipidemias and reduce the lipid-related residual cardiovascular risk of patients with intolerance or who are not fully responsive to a consolidated standard of care (statins plus ezetimibe). Moreover, some of the upcoming compounds potently affect lipid targets that are thus far considered "unmodifiable". The present paper is a viewpoint aimed at presenting the incremental metabolic and cardiovascular benefits of the emerging lipid-modulating agents and real-life barriers, hindering their prescription by physicians and their assumption by patients, which need to be worked out for a more diffuse and appropriate drug utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction shows great significance for disease diagnosis and treatment, especially early intervention for CVD, which has a direct impact on preventing and reducing adverse outcomes. In this paper, we collected clinical indicators and outcomes of 14,832 patients with cardiovascular disease in Shanxi, China, and proposed a cardiovascular disease risk prediction model, XGBH, based on key contributing characteristics to perform risk scoring of patients' clinical outcomes. The XGBH risk prediction model had high accuracy, with a significant improvement compared to the baseline risk score (AUC = 0.80 vs. AUC = 0.65). At the same time, we found that with the addition of conventional biometric variables, the accuracy of the model's CVD risk prediction would also be improved. Finally, we designed a simpler model to quantify disease risk based on only three questions answered by the patient, with only a modest reduction in accuracy (AUC = 0.79), and providing a valid risk assessment for CVD. Overall, our models may allow early-stage intervention in high-risk patients, as well as a cost-effective screening approach. Further prospective studies and studies in other populations are needed to assess the actual clinical effect of XGBH risk prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to systematically review studies and evaluate the strength of the evidence on nuts/seeds consumption and cardiometabolic diseases and their risk factors among adults. Methods: A protocol was pre-registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021270554). We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Scopus up to September 20, 2021 for prospective cohort studies and ≥12-week randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Main outcomes were cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and type 2 diabetes (T2D), secondary total-/low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, blood pressure and glycaemic markers. Data extraction and risk of bias (RoB) assessments (using RoB 2.0 and RoB-NObS) were performed in duplicate. Effect sizes were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses and expressed as relative risk (RR) or weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CI); heterogeneity quantified as I². One-stage dose-response analyses assessed the linear and non-linear associations with CVD, CHD, stroke and T2D. The strength of evidence was classified per the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Results: After screening 23,244 references, we included 42 papers from cohort studies (28 unique cohorts, 1,890,573 participants) and 18 RCTs (2,266 participants). In the cohorts, mainly populations with low consumption, high versus low total nuts/seeds consumption was inversely associated with total CVD (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.75, 0.86; I² = 67%), CVD mortality (0.77; 0.72, 0.82; I² = 59.3%), CHD (0.82; 0.76, 0.89; I² = 64%), CHD mortality (0.75; 0.65, 0.87; I² = 66.9%) and non-fatal CHD (0.85; 0.75, 0.96; I² = 62.2%). According to the non-linear dose-response analyses, consumption of 30 g/day of total nuts/seeds was associated with RRs of similar magnitude. For stroke and T2D the summary RR for high versus low intake was 0.91 (95% CI 0.85, 0.97; I² = 24.8%) and 0.95 (0.75, 1.21; I² = 82.2%). Intake of nuts (median ~50 g/day) lowered total (-0.15 mmol/L; -0.22, -0.08; I² = 31.2%) and LDL-cholesterol (-0.13 mmol/L; -0.21, -0.05; II² = 68.6%), but not blood pressure. Findings on fasting glucose, HbA1c and insulin resistance were conflicting. The results were robust to sensitivity and subgroup analyses. We rated the associations between nuts/seeds and both CVD and CHD as probable. There was limited but suggestive evidence for no association with stroke. No conclusion could be made for T2D. Conclusion: There is a probable relationship between consumption of nuts/seeds and lower risk of CVD, mostly driven by CHD, possibly in part through effects on blood lipids. More research on stroke and T2D may affect the conclusions. The evidence of specific nuts should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral respiratory infections (VRI) are the most prevalent type of infectious diseases and constitute one of the most common causes of contact with medical care. Regarding the pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system, VRI can not only exacerbate already existing chronic cardiovascular disease (such as coronary artery disease or heart failure) but also trigger new adverse events or complications (e.g., venous thromboembolism), the latter particularly in subjects with multimorbidity or disease-related immobilization. In the current paper, we provide a narrative review of diverse cardiovascular complications of VRI as well as summarize available data on the pathology of the circulatory system in the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular morbidity is the leading cause of death worldwide. Physical activity, including aerobic, balance, flexibility, and muscle and bone strengthening, can prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) at lower cost. Yoga is a natural treatment option that does not involve taking medications or other artificial substances, which may be appealing to some people who prefer to use natural remedies whenever possible. In addition to lowering blood pressure, yoga has many other health benefits, such as improving flexibility, strength, and stress management. This paper aims to discuss the role of yoga in preventing various CVDs. We aimed to review the studies on the various forms of yoga and the mechanisms that lead to cardioprotective advantages. We also discussed some of yoga's harmful side effects. We have covered two types of yoga in depth: Hatha Yoga (HY) and pranayama. We have done a thorough review of the literature using a PubMed search. Different keywords such as Yoga, cardiovascular disease (CVD), pranayama, Hatha Yoga (HY), Kapālabhāti, stress, anxiety, hypertension, coronary artery disease, asana, rate pressure product (RPP), and Double Product (DoP) were used to write the review. Yoga is a form of physical exercise that involves a series of postures, breathing techniques, and meditation practices. Recent research suggests that practicing it has potential benefits for cardiovascular health, including reducing blood pressure, improving heart rate variability, and reducing cholesterol levels. This may make it a more attractive option for people who want to improve their health and well-being. Here, we report that, according to current evidence, yoga has reduced mortality by preventing conditions that lead to the development of CVDs. However, further study is necessary to provide more convincing evidence for the widespread implementation of yoga as a treatment for CVDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emodin is a natural anthraquinone derivative extracted from Chinese herbs, such as Rheum palmatum L, Polygonum cuspidatum, and Polygonum multiflorum. It is now also a commonly used clinical drug and is listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Emodin has a wide range of pharmacological properties, including anticancer, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial effects. Many in vivo and in vitro experiments have demonstrated that emodin has potent anticardiovascular activity. Emodin exerts different mechanisms of action in different types of cardiovascular diseases, including its involvement in pathological processes, such as inflammatory response, apoptosis, cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, oxidative damage, and smooth muscle cell proliferation. Therefore, emodin can be used as a therapeutic drug against cardiovascular disease and has broad application prospects. This paper summarized the main pharmacological effects and related mechanisms of emodin in cardiovascular diseases in recent years and discussed the limitations of emodin in terms of extraction preparation, toxicity, and bioavailability-related pharmacokinetics in clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-based diets (PBDs) are becoming increasingly popular. Thus far, the literature has focused on their association with lipid profiles, with less investigation of lipoprotein and inflammatory profiles. Because pro-atherogenic lipid, lipoprotein, and inflammatory processes may facilitate the development of atherosclerosis, understanding the relation between PBDs and these processes is important to inform risk mitigation strategies. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to review the literature on PBDs and lipid, lipoprotein, and inflammatory biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD). A structured literature search was performed, retrieving 752 records, of which 43 articles were included. Plant-based diets generally associated with favourable lipid and lipoprotein profiles, characterised by decreased total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B concentrations, and less low-grade inflammation, characterised by decreased C-reactive protein concentrations. Effect sizes from PBD interventions were greatest compared to habitual dietary patterns, and for non-low-fat vegan and tightly controlled dietary interventions. Associations between PBD indices and the reviewed biomarkers were less consistent. Findings are discussed with reference to the literature on PBDs and PBD indices and CVD risk, the associations between specific plant food groups and CVD outcomes and the reviewed biomarker outcomes, and the potential mechanisms underpinning associations between PBDs and reduced CVD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension and physical inactivity are leading causes of premature mortality. While both are modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, their prevalence remains high. As populations grow older, they are more likely to develop hypertension and to become less physically active. Scientific advances have contributed to understanding of how physical activity improves blood pressure and the clinically relevant ambulatory blood pressure, but this is not reflected in hypertension guidelines for clinical management of hypertension. The aim of this paper is to clearly present up to date knowledge from scientific studies that underpin the role of physical activity in hypertension management. Longitudinal studies in this review demonstrate a protective effect of higher physical activity levels as well as higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. Interventional studies report improvements in blood pressure associated with aerobic, resistance and concurrent exercise; the improvements in some studies were greatest among participant groups with established hypertensions; the effect was observed for groups with treatment-resistant hypertension also, a clinically important subgroup. The most recent research provides evidence for the synergy between physical activity and pharmacotherapy for the treatment of hypertension, providing an opportunity for clinicians to promote physical activity as an adjunctive treatment for hypertension as well as a preventative strategy. This review critiques the evidence and summarises the most up to date literature in the field of physical activity and hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is still considered a disease burden with long-term damaging processes towards the cardiovascular system. Evaluation of atherosclerotic stages requires the use of independent markers such as those already considered traditional, that remain the main therapeutic target for patients with atherosclerosis, together with emerging biomarkers. The challenge is finding models of predictive markers that are particularly tailored to detect and evaluate the evolution of incipient vascular lesions. Important advances have been made in this field, resulting in a more comprehensible and stronger linkage between the lipidic profile and the continuous inflammatory process. In this paper, we analysed the most recent data from the literature studying the molecular mechanisms of biomarkers and their involvement in the cascade of events that occur in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty percent of deaths in the United States are secondary to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In patients with hyperlipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia, studies have shown high atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) event rates despite the use of statins. Given the association of high triglyceride (TG) levels with elevated cholesterol and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) cholesterol guidelines recommend using elevated TGs as a "risk-enhancing factor" for ASCVD and using omega 3 fatty acids (Ω3FAs) for patients with persistently elevated severe hypertriglyceridemia. Ω3FA, or fish oils (FOs), have been shown to reduce very high TG levels, hospitalizations, and CVD mortality in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We have published the largest meta-analysis to date demonstrating significant effects on several CVD outcomes, especially fatal myocardial infarctions (MIs) and total MIs. Despite the most intensive research on Ω3FAs on CVD, their benefits have been demonstrated to cluster across multiple systems and pathologies, including autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, chronic kidney disease, central nervous system diseases, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. A review and summary of the controversies surrounding Ω3FAs, some of the latest evidence-based findings, and the current and most updated recommendations on Ω3FAs are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This perspective paper used a grounded theory method to synthesize evidence proposing that sodium toxicity from excessive dietary salt intake is a potential common pathophysiological mechanism that mediates the association of hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and anxiety with cardiovascular disease and COVID-19. Increased anxiety in these conditions may be linked to a high-salt diet through stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, which increases blood pressure while releasing catecholamines, causing a "fight or flight" response. A rostral shift of fluid overload from the lower to the upper body occurs in obstructive sleep apnea associated with COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease, and may be related to sodium and fluid retention triggered by hypertonic dehydration. Chronic activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system responds to salt-induced dehydration by increasing reabsorption of sodium and fluid, potentially exacerbating fluid overload. Anxiety may also be related to angiotensin II that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system to release catecholamines. More research is needed to investigate these proposed interrelated mechanisms mediated by dietary salt. Furthermore, dietary interventions should use a whole-food plant-based diet that eliminates foods processed with salt to test the effect of very low sodium intake levels on hypertension, anxiety, and obstructive sleep apnea in cardiovascular disease and COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A.Mey.) is the dry root and rhizome of the Araliaceae ginseng plant. It has always been used as a tonic in China for strengthening the body. Cardiovascular disease is still the main cause of death in the world. Some studies have shown that the functional components of ginseng can regulate the pathological process of various cardiovascular diseases through different mechanisms, and its formulation also plays an irreplaceable role in the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, this paper elaborates the current pharmacological effects of ginseng functional components in treating cardiovascular diseases, summarizes the adverse reactions of ginseng, and sorts out the Chinese patent medicines containing ginseng formula which can treat cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea pigment, as a natural pigment component in tea, has attracted much attention because of its unique health benefits. In recent years, with the deepening of scientific research, the research on biological activity, extraction technology and application of tea pigment has made remarkable progress. Through systematic bibliometrics analysis, this paper comprehensively combs and evaluates the research status of tea pigment. The propose is to provide valuable reference for future research and application. In this paper, the chemical structure of tea pigment is firstly summarized, and then its diverse biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor, are deeply discussed, especially its potential application in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In addition, the application prospect of tea pigment in food coloring, textile dyeing and other industrial fields is also discussed in detail. Through the collection and arrangement of a large number of research literatures, this paper analyzes the development trend, research methods and main achievements of tea pigment research, and pays special attention to the dosage and effect of tea pigment in practical application. These analyses not only contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and functions of tea pigments, but also provide scientific basis for the further development and application of tea pigments.

Endometrial cancer survivors experience high rates of cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart disease, obesity, diabetes). The heightened cardiovascular disease risk may be attributed to cancer treatment coupled with sub-optimal lifestyle behaviors following treatment, including high amounts of sedentary behavior (SB). Public health agencies have graded the association of evidence between SB and cardiovascular disease as strong. However, while clinicians may wish to prescribe SB substitution strategies to reduce SB, guidelines do not currently exist. An additional challenge to behavior change pertains to the unique barriers that endometrial cancer survivors face, including treatment-associated fatigue and limited self-efficacy. Engaging in healthy movement behaviors, including minimizing SB and achieving recommended amounts of physical activity, are critical for health and well-being as well as cardiometabolic disease prevention. The purpose of this perspective paper is to propose an informed approach to physical activity promotion aimed to initiate movement and promote long-term behavior change by starting with an emphasis on reducing SB in endometrial cancer survivors. First, we address why endometrial cancer survivors should be targeted with SB reduction. Then, we suggest a stepwise approach to increasing physical activity by starting with SB reduction, including consideration to behavioral theories. Finally, we provide suggestions for future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) require a personalised strategy for cardiovascular risk management (CVRM) to reduce their high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Despite their high risk, patients with CKD appear to be underrepresented in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for pharmacological CVRM interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk (pharmacological CVRM interventions). As a result, it remains unclear whether the efficacy of these interventions found in patients without CKD is similarly applicable to patients with CKD. This evidence map aims to provide an overview of the availability of the evidence from pharmacological CVRM trials for patients with CKD by assessing how often patients with reduced kidney function are specifically excluded or included from RCTs on pharmacological CVRM interventions and whether studies report efficacy estimates of interventions specifically for kidney patients. Methods: We will perform a systematic literature search in ClinicalTrials.gov to identify relevant planned, ongoing, and completed RCTs on a broad range of CVRM medications after which we will retrieve the published protocols and papers via ClinicalTrials.gov itself, Embase, MEDLINE, or Google Scholar. We will include RCTs that investigate the efficacy of platelet inhibitors, anticoagulants, antihypertensives, glucose-lowering medication, and lipid-lowering medication on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular morbidity, and end-stage kidney disease in patients with a cardiovascular history or a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Two reviewers will independently screen trial records and their corresponding full-text publications to determine eligibility and extract data. Outcomes of interest are the exclusion of patients with reduced kidney function from RCTs and whether the study population was restricted to kidney patients or subgroup analyses were performed on kidney function. Results will be visualised in an evidence map. Discussion: The availability of evidence on the efficacy and safety of pharmacological CVRM interventions in patients with CKD might be limited. Hence, we will identify knowledge gaps for future research. At the same time, the availability of evidence, or lack thereof, might warrant caution from healthcare decision-makers in making strong recommendations based on the extrapolation of results from studies to patients who were explicitly excluded from participation. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022296746. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality, necessitating research to improve diagnostics, and to discover and test novel preventive and curative therapies, all of which warrant experimental models that recapitulate human disease. The translation of basic science results to clinical practice is a challenging task, in particular for complex conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, which often result from multiple risk factors and comorbidities. This difficulty might lead some individuals to question the value of animal research, citing the translational 'valley of death', which largely reflects the fact that studies in rodents are difficult to translate to humans. This is also influenced by the fact that new, human-derived in vitro models can recapitulate aspects of disease processes. However, it would be a mistake to think that animal models do not represent a vital step in the translational pathway as they do provide important pathophysiological insights into disease mechanisms particularly on an organ and systemic level. While stem cell-derived human models have the potential to become key in testing toxicity and effectiveness of new drugs, we need to be realistic, and carefully validate all new human-like disease models. In this position paper, we highlight recent advances in trying to reduce the number of animals for cardiovascular research ranging from stem cell-derived models to in situ modelling of heart properties, bioinformatic models based on large datasets, and state-of-the-art animal models, which show clinically relevant characteristics observed in patients with a cardiovascular disease. We aim to provide a guide to help researchers in their experimental design to translate bench findings to clinical routine taking the replacement, reduction, and refinement (3R) as a guiding concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Burden of disease studies measure the impact of disease at the population level;however, methods and data sources for estimates of prevalence vary. Using a selection of cardiovascular diseases, we aimed to describe the implications of using different disease models and linked administrative data on prevalence estimation within three Australian burden of disease studies. Methods: Three different methods (A = 2011 Australian Burden of Disease Study; B = 2015 Australian Burden of Disease Study; C = 2015 Western Australian Burden of Disease Study), which used linked data, were used to compare prevalence estimates of stroke, aortic aneurysm, rheumatic valvular heart disease (VHD) and non-rheumatic VHD. We applied these methods to 2015 Western Australian data, and calculated crude overall and age-specific prevalence for each condition. Results: Overall, Method C produced estimates of cardiovascular prevalence that were lower than the other methods, excluding non-rheumatic VHD. Prevalence of acute and chronic stroke was up to one-third higher in Method A and B compared to Method C. Aortic aneurysms had the largest change in prevalence, with Method A producing an eight-fold higher estimate compared to Method C, but Method B was 10–20% lower. Estimates of VHD varied dramatically, with an up to six-fold change in prevalence in Method C due to substantial changes to disease models and the use of linked data. Conclusions: Prevalence estimates require the best available data sources, updated disease models and constant review to inform government policy and health reform. Availability of nation-wide linked data will markedly improve future burden estimates. What is known about the topic? Accurate prevalence and subsequent burden estimates that reflect population-level disease burden are an important resource and are necessary for informing health policy decisions and resource distribution. What does this paper add? For cardiovascular disease, the comparison between direct use of linked data and other population-wide data sources highlighted the significant differences in the methods between Australia-wide and Western Australian-based studies in calculating prevalence estimates. What are the implications for practitioners? Continued, effective collaboration for improved disease models and subsequent burden estimates are necessary for appropriately informed decisions about health and resource distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: microRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), an endocrine and metabolic disorder that commonly occurs in women of childbearing age. This paper aimed to measure miR-222-3p expression in sera of PCOS patients and to explore its clinical value on PCOS diagnosis and prediction of diabetic and cardiovascular complications.Methods: Totally 111 PCOS patients and 94 healthy people were recruited and assigned to the overweight (ow) group and non-overweight (non-ow) group, followed by determination of serum miR-222-3p expression. The diagnostic efficiency of miR-222-3p on PCOS ow and non-ow patients was analyzed. Correlations between miR-222-3p and glycolipid metabolic indicators and diabetic and cardiovascular complications in PCOS were analyzed. The downstream target of miR-222-3p was predicted and their binding relationship was verified. The correlation between PGC-1α and miR-222-3p was analyzed.Results: miR-222-3p was highly-expressed in PCOS patients (p < 0.001), in especially PCOS ow patients. The area under the curve (AUC) of miR-222-3p diagnosing PCOS non-ow patients was 0.9474 and cut-off value was 1.290 (89.06% sensitivity, 98.11% specificity), indicating that non-ow people with serum miR-222-3p > 1.290 could basically be diagnosed with PCOS. AUC of miR-222-3p diagnosing PCOS ow patients was 0.9647 and cut-off value was 2.425 (85.11% sensitivity, 100% specificity), suggesting that ow people with serum miR-222-3p > 2.425 could basically be diagnosed with PCOS. miR-222-3p was positively-correlated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS), homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and negatively-correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). miR-222-3p was independently-correlated with diabetic and cardiovascular complications in PCOS (p < 0.05). High expression of miR-222-3p predicted high risks of diabetic and cardiovascular complications in PCOS. miR-222-3p targeted PGC-1α and was negatively-correlated with PGC-1α (r = - 0.2851, p = 0.0224; r = - 0.3151, p = 0.0310).Conclusion: High expression of miR-222-3p assisted PCOS diagnosis and predicted increased risks of diabetic and cardiovascular complications. miR-222-3p targeted PGC-1α and was negatively-correlated with PGC-1α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has created a substantial burden on healthcare systems worldwide resulting in over 4 million deaths. The systemic impacts of COVID-19 infection are severe and broad in their implications, and the cardiovascular system is no exception. The SARS-CoV-2 binds the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor to infect host cells, with ACE2 representing a critical regulator of blood pressure homeostasis and proper cardiovascular functioning. Discussion: Patients with a history of cardiovascular disease are at an increased risk for hospitalization and mortality, and COVID-19 infection has now been demonstrated to initiate acute, but serious, episodes of cardiovascular events such as stroke or myocardial infarction (MI). As cases continue to rise around the world, understanding the interplay between COVID-19 infection and the cardiovascular system will be important for healthcare systems to adequately respond to the pandemic and prepare for future challenges. Conclusion: Evidence suggests that COVID-19 infection can spur the onset of various cardiovascular pathologies, including thrombosis, stroke, arrhythmia, and MI, and these complications contribute to poorer patient outcomes. Patients presenting with symptoms of cardiovascular disease may also be foregoing medical treatment out of fear that is brought on by the pandemic or due to strain on healthcare systems preventing access to care. The direct physiological and indirect social consequences of COVID-19 will undoubtedly lead to further challenges for healthcare systems now and in the future. Relevance: This paper discusses the deleterious cardiovascular consequences induced by the global COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper discusses the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of nondipping blood pressure and its role in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of free fatty acids (FAs) and their inflammatory metabolites on the nondipping phenomenon and the risk of sleep apnea in stroke patients. Methods: Sixty-four ischemic stroke patients were included in the prospective study. Group I consisted of 33 patients with a preserved physiological dipping effect (DIP), while group II included 31 patients with the nondipping phenomenon (NDIP). All subjects had FA gas chromatography and inflammatory metabolite measurements performed with the use of liquid chromatography, their 24 h blood pressure was recorded, and they were assessed with the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS). Results: In the nondipping group a higher level of C16:0 palmitic acid was observed, while lower levels were observed in regard to C20:0 arachidic acid, C22:0 behenic acid and C24:1 nervonic acid. A decreased leukotriene B4 level was recorded in the nondipping group. None of the FAs and derivatives correlated with the ESS scale in the group of patients after stroke. Correlations were observed after dividing into the DIP and NDIP groups. In the DIP group, a higher score of ESS was correlated with numerous FAs and derivatives. Inflammation of a lower degree and a higher level of anti-inflammatory mediators from EPA and DHA acids favored the occurrence of the DIP. A high level of C18: 3n6 gamma linoleic acid indicating advanced inflammation, intensified the NDIP effect. Conclusions: We demonstrated potential novel associations between the FA levels and eicosanoids in the pathogenesis of the nondipping phenomenon. There are common connections between fatty acids, their metabolites, inflammation, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and nondipping in stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the combination of remote ECG monitoring and artificial intelligence ( AI ) technology has greatly assisted the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and shows extremely broad development prospect. This paper summarizes the progress in the application of AI-based remote ECG monitoring technology in the intelligent diagnosis, hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, prognosis evaluation, and individualized management of acute coronary syndrome. It also introduces the active health intelligent management system of the heart which has been constructed and gradually improved in China on this basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases（CVDs） are a group of diseases with high prevalence, disability and mortality rates, and are the number one killer of human health, with coronary and peripheral occlusive vascular diseases posing a great threat. To reduce the threat of CVDs to human life, small-caliber artificial blood vessel transplantation is a relatively common treatment. The materials widely used for the preparation of artificial blood vessels include polyester, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane and silk, etc. The former three are widely used in large vessel replacement surgery, but their use in small vessels is prone to thrombus formation, which clogs the artificial blood vessels and ultimately leads to the death of the organism. Silk has good biocompatibility, mechanical properties, degradability and promotion of cell adhesion, which has become a research hotspot for the preparation of small-caliber artificial blood vessels in recent years.To comprehensively understand the application status and performance advantages of silk small-caliber artificial blood vessels and accelerate the research and transformation of small-caliber blood vessels, this paper analyzed the advantages and problems of using silk as raw material to prepare small-caliber blood vessels from the aspects of preparation method, biocompatibility, anti-thrombotic ability and promoting vascular endothelialization, and put forward the possible development direction in the future. The results of most of the studies show that small-caliber artificial blood vessels prepared with silk as raw material exhibit good repair and long-term patency in animals. Silk can be prepared by gel spinning, weaving, knitting, electrostatic spinning, 3D printing, decellularization, freeze drying, etc. These methods have both advantages and defects. For instance, freeze drying is easy to mold but the mechanical properties of the artificial blood vessels are weak, the method of gel spinning can produce a uniform and loose network structure but is poor in mechanical properties, the artificial blood vessels prepared by knitting have uniform texture and flat surface but are easy to unravel at the anastomosis. On the whole, the artificial blood vessels produced by electrostatic spinning have high porosity to meet the requirements of cell growth, and this method is widely used. Although these methods have defects, they provide researchers with much space for improvement. Silk-based small-caliber blood vessels show effects such as promotion of cell adhesion and proliferation when co-cultured with smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, etc. When co-cultured with vascular scaffolds, the cells are able to colonize and grow on the scaffolds smoothly, and these properties indicate that biomedical materials prepared with silk as the raw material have excellent cytocompatibility, but there is an over-proliferation phenomenon when the cells are cultured with smooth muscle, which suggests that over-proliferation of cells should be avoided when silk is used as the biomaterial. The formation of thrombus after vascular transplantation is very likely to lead to death, the excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility of silk are important factors to avoid the formation of thrombus, but the excessive proliferation of smooth muscle caused by silk-based artificial blood vessels may also lead to thrombus. In the future, artificial blood vessels can be prepared by combining with anticoagulant factors to prevent the formation of thrombus. After silk-based vascular grafting, vascular endothelial cells are able to migrate and colonize into the lumen of the graft smoothly, and the surface of the lumen is able to produce fused endothelium; although this process is relatively slow, it is sufficient to prove that silk-based artificial blood vessels are able to promote the endothelialization process after grafting.Although the advantages of silk-based small-caliber blood vessels are significant, whether the reagent residues in the preparation process have side effects needs to be further verified, and a large number of experimental improvements are needed to accelerate the clinical application, and the amount and degree of endotheliosis are strictly controlled in silk-based vascular grafts. In addition, more in-depth research on their controllable degradation needs be carried out. In conclusion, silk-based small-caliber blood vessels have unique advantages and certain defects, which bring opportunities and challenges for their clinical application, and it is necessary to increase the research investment on silk-based small-caliber blood vessels in the future to promote the development of silk in the field of biomedical materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has a substantial impact on overall health, well-being, and life-expectancy. Echocardiography is a widely used imaging technique in cardiovascular medicine, utilizing various medical imaging technology to visualize heart chambers and valve's motion activity. In order to diagnose and treat complicated cardiovascular problems, it takes high-resolution images of the heart and its surroundings. However, it has limitations such as long procedure times, multiple measurement values, complex analyses, individualized assessments, operator subjectivity, and wide observation ranges. This makes it challenging for sonographers to accurately detect and diagnose heart diseases. In recent days, Deep Learning (DL) is increasingly used in clinical computer-assisted systems for disease detection, feature segmentation, functional evaluation, and diagnosis. It is an alternate technique for accurate detection and treatment of cardiovascular disorders; it improves the diagnostic capacities of echocardiography by identifying pathological conditions, extracting anatomically significant data, measuring cardio-motion, and calculating echo image quality. This paper presents a detailed review of various DL frameworks developed to analyse different cardiac views using echocardiography for improving the prediction and diagnosis of CVD. At the outset, a variety of echocardiography systems linked with DL-based segmentation and classification are reviewed briefly. Afterwards, a comparison research is carried out to gain insight into the shortcomings of those algorithms and provide a fresh approach to improve the accuracy of cardiac view categorization in echocardiography systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) believes to be a major cause of transience and indisposition worldwide. Early diagnosis and timely intervention are critical in preventing the progression of CVD and improving patient outcomes. Machine learning (ML) algorithms have emerged as powerful tools in CVD recognition, with the potential to assist physicians in making accurate and efficient diagnoses. This research paper explores the combination of multiple ML algorithms for CVD recognition, utilizing diverse datasets such as the Cleveland, Hungarian, Switzerland, statlog, and VA Long Beach datasets. Additionally, a CVD dataset comprising 12 attributes and 70,000 records is employed, demonstrating improved results through the proposed and trained model compared to previous prediction techniques for CVD. The performance of various ML techniques, including support vector machines (SVM), naive Bayes (NB), K‐nearest neighbour (KNN), random forest (RF), and logistic regression (LR), is evaluated and compared. The impact of feature selection and feature scaling on the models' performance is also examined. An ensemble bagging technique is applied which is being embedded with other classifiers. LR classifier embedded with bagging techniques proved to be our proposed model. The findings reveal that the proposed Hybrid Linear Regression Bagging Model (HLRBM) outperforms other models. Furthermore, the study highlights the significance of data preprocessing techniques, such as data normalization and class balancing, which significantly enhance the performance of all models. To this end, standard scalar and synthetic minority over‐sampling technique (SMOTE) are employed. The study emphasizes the importance of selecting an appropriate ensemble technique in conjunction with various ML algorithms and preprocessing methods for CVD prediction. Overall, the research provides valuable insights into the potential of ML in improving CVD risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune disorder which is characterized by the presence of heterogeneous antiphospholipid antibodies. There is an evidence on antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies related to thromboembolic events in cancer patients. In fact, the thrombotic complications in patients with malignancy occur at a rather high frequency, compared to other risk factors. In parallel with standard therapies available, there is need of case‐by‐case monitoring of each patient and the introduction of new therapies and need for more clinical trials which will address many questions for the optimal management of patients. This paper presents a basic review of the literature on the aPL antibodies associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as its complications, which are reported so far in the bibliography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a complex and multifactorial condition that poses significant health risks. Recent advancements in our understanding of obesity have highlighted the heterogeneity within this disorder. Identifying distinct subtypes of obesity is crucial for personalised treatment and intervention strategies. This review paper aims to examine studies that have utilised clinical biomarkers and genetic data to identify clusters or subtypes of obesity. The findings of these studies may provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms and potential targeted approaches for managing obesity‐related health issues such as type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs). Despite copious research on CVD incidence and outcome discrepancies, a social determinants of health (SDOH) focused framework on CVD risk factors and health outcomes in AIAN populations has not been undertaken. This paper presents the following: (1) a review of the literature on SDOH and CVD in AIAN populations, (2) a summary on intersectionality as it relates to SDOH and CVD, (3) a framework for conceptualizing CVD risks, interventions, structural determinants, and health equity, (4) a summary of potential interventions to address CVD in AIANs, and (5) a discussion about future work. Common SDOH themes across the CVD risk factors in AIANs are income‐related obstacles, healthcare access, structural racism, discrimination, and failed colonial policies. Colonization of AIAN populations has resulted in social, political, and economic disadvantages, manifesting as systemic socioeconomic disadvantage and unequal access through elevated poverty rates, lower educational attainment, mental health challenges, and decreased healthcare access. These extensive social factors have a multifactorial effect across several CVD risk factors; all ultimately result in elevated CVD morbidity and mortality. Addressing SDOH and diminishing disparities is essential to facilitating improved CVD outcomes for AIANs. Highlights: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs).Social determinants of health (SDOH) are a major contributor to cardiovascular disease in this population.Addressing SDOH and diminishing disparities is key to improving cardiovascular health for AIANs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score was designed to predict the post-procedural risk associated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or surgical revascularization. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of PCI and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) by comparing several existing studies. A systematic search was performed using the PubMed (MEDLINE) and ScienceDirect databases. This systematic review included studies that examined differences in the outcomes of PCI and CABG for left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis. This was a systematic review study in which we reviewed original cross-sectional and cohort studies. The search was conducted from February 1st until February 2nd, 2023. The quality assessment of the studies was carried out using the criteria outlined in the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). According to the final assessment, all the original research included had a mean NOS score of 8, indicating excellent quality. The literature search yielded 1,675 studies, five of which were selected for the final analysis. A total of 5,494 patients underwent PCI and CABG. This study found that there were variations in outcomes among patients with low, medium, and high SYNTAX scores for long-term major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and long-term mortality. However, similar outcomes were observed in long-term revascularization, long-term stroke, and long-term myocardial infarction (MI). This study concluded that patients with LMCA stenosis and SYNTAX scores ranging from low to high may have different long-term outcomes. CABG is associated with a lower incidence of mortality, repeat revascularization, MI, and MACCE compared to PCI. On the other hand, an association exists between PCI and a lower incidence of stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a highly penetrant monogenic disorder present from birth that markedly elevates plasma low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐cholesterol (LDL‐C) concentration and, if untreated, leads to premature atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). At a prevalence of 1:250 individuals, with over 90% undiagnosed, recent estimates suggest that there are approximately 22 000 children and adolescents with FH in Australia and New Zealand. However, the overwhelming majority remain undetected and inadequately treated until adulthood or after their first cardiac event. The guidance in this paper aims to increase awareness about paediatric FH and provide practical advice for the diagnosis and management of FH in children and adolescents. Recommendations are given on the detection, diagnosis, assessment and management of FH in children and adolescents. Recommendations are also made on genetic testing, including counselling and the potential for universal screening programmes. Practical guidance on management includes treatment of non‐cholesterol risk factors, and safe and appropriate use of LDL‐C lowering therapies, including statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors and lipoprotein apheresis. Models of care for FH need to be adapted to local and regional health care needs and available resources. Targeting the detection of FH as a priority in children and young adults has the potential to alter the natural history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and recognise the promise of early detection for improving long‐term health outcomes. A comprehensive implementation strategy, informed by further research, including assessments of cost–benefit, will be required to ensure that this new guidance benefits all families with or at risk of FH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death, and there is evidence that work exposures could be associated with their development. This study aimed to systematically review observational studies of adults exposed to job strain, effort–reward imbalance, long working hours, job insecurity, shift work, and occupational noise, and assess the association of those work exposures with CVDs. Methods The Navigation Guide framework was applied. The population were adults of working age (18–65), and cohort and case–control studies were included. The work exposures were job strain, effort–reward imbalance, long working hours, job insecurity, shift work, and occupational noise. The outcomes were cerebrovascular diseases, ischaemic heart disease, and hypertensive diseases. The selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and quality assessment were carried out by two reviewers independently and disagreements were solved by a third reviewer or by consensus. The synthesis of the results was done by applying the 'vote counting based on direction' method, and the results were summarized in an effect direction plot. The strength of the evidence for every risk factor and CVD was defined by consensus. Results A total of 17 643 papers were initially identified in the literature search, but after applying the filters by title and abstract, and full text, 86 studies were finally included. From the included studies, sufficient evidence was found of the harmfulness of job strain for cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease. Furthermore, there was sufficient evidence of the harmfulness of shift work for ischemic heart disease. Evidence of no relationship was found between long working hours and shift work with ischaemic heart disease and hypertensive disease, respectively. The other associations of work exposures and CVDs had limited or inadequate evidence of harmfulness. Conclusions In this comprehensive review, there was sufficient evidence of a harmful relationship between job strain, shift work, and CVDs. For the other work exposures, more high-quality studies are needed. In order to improve current prevention strategies for CVDs, the findings of this review imply that job strain and shift work are work exposures that constitute additional risk factors that could be approached as targets for worksite interventions. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42020179972. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Aims Psychological factors are among the most suspected indicators which may cause atherosclerosis. Coping strategies modifying psychological stress may be significantly associated with health outcomes. However, little is known about the influence of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies on major adverse cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. The purpose of this study is to examine this idea among a sample of adults. Design: cohort study. Methods and results The Isfahan cohort study (ICS) is a longitudinal population-based, prospective study. Participants (⁠ N = 6323 individuals aged 35 years or greater at baseline) were selected by multistage random sampling with 6-year intervals (i.e. 2001: 6323 individuals, 2007: 3296 individuals, and 2013: 1706 individuals). Adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies were evaluated by a multicomponent self-administered stress management paper-based questionnaire. All CVD events were confirmed by a blinded panel of experts and a marginal cox regression model was used to model the survival data. Adaptive coping strategies could be protective against CVD events with hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) [0.97 (0.95–0.99)] and maladaptive coping strategies seem to be a risk factor, 1.02 (1.01–1.04) in the whole population. Individuals younger than 60 showed similar results, with 0.96 (0.93–0.98) and 1.04 (1.01–1.07) for adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies, respectively. However, these findings were not replicated among seniors older than age 60. Conclusion Based on our results, coping strategies have an important role in cardiovascular events, particularly among young adults. According to the results, informing patients about adaptive stress management may promote primary prevention of CVD events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, the attempt to compile German dietary guidelines into a diet score was predominantly not successful with regards to preventing chronic diseases in the EPIC-Potsdam study. Current guidelines were supplemented by the latest evidence from systematic reviews and expert papers published between 2010 and 2020 on the prevention potential of food groups on chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. A diet score was developed by scoring the food groups according to a recommended low, moderate or high intake. The relative validity and reliability of the diet score, assessed by a food frequency questionnaire, was investigated. The consideration of current evidence resulted in 10 key food groups being preventive of the chronic diseases of interest. They served as components in the diet score and were scored from 0 to 1 point, depending on their recommended intake, resulting in a maximum of 10 points. Both the reliability (r = 0.53) and relative validity (r = 0.43) were deemed sufficient to consider the diet score as a stable construct in future investigations. This new diet score can be a promising tool to investigate dietary intake in etiological research by concentrating on 10 key dietary determinants with evidence-based prevention potential for chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we propose a class of multistate models for the analysis of multitype recurrent event and failure time data when there are past event feedbacks in longitudinal biomarkers. It can well incorporate various effects, including time‐dependent and time‐independent effects, of different event paths or the number of occurrences of events of different types. Asymptotic unbiased estimating equations based on polynomial splines approximation are developed. The consistency and asymptotic normality of the proposed estimators are provided. Simulation studies show that the naive estimators which either ignore the past event feedback or the measurement errors are biased. Our method has a better coverage probability of the time‐varying/constant coefficients, compared to the naive methods. An application to the dataset from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, which is also the motivating example to develop the method, is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores how paid and unpaid labor history over the life course influence women's cardiovascular disease. U.S. women comprise about 50% of the paid workforce and perform the majority of unpaid labor. However, the influence of women's work on their health is under-researched. Our sample was drawn from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, a cohort of post-menopausal women in the U.S. aged 50–79 at recruitment. Women were categorized into five groups according to paid labor history: worked in paid jobs consistently throughout adult life; left the workforce early; entered the workforce later; discontinuous work history; never worked outside the home. Live birth history (none, at least one, missing) served as a proxy for unpaid labor in prime age. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratio of CVD associated with different paid work histories. We then assessed the effect of unpaid labor on the relation between paid labor and CVD. Paid labor participation was not associated with CVD risk among women without unpaid labor after adjusting for age, education, and birth cohort. Among those with unpaid demands, leaving the workforce early or having discontinuous work history was protective. In this U.S. sample, the association between paid work participation history and CVD risk depends on the presence of unpaid labor. Our results demonstrate the necessity of including work – paid and unpaid – in consideration of women's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence shows that arterial stiffness measurement provides important prognostic information and improves clinical stratification of cardiovascular risk. Thyroid and parathyroid diseases are endocrine diseases with a relevant cardiovascular burden. The objective of this review was to consider the relationship between arterial stiffness and thyroid and parathyroid diseases in human clinical studies. We performed a systematic literature review of articles published in PubMed/MEDLINE from inception to December 2021, restricted to English languages and to human adults. We selected relevant articles about the relationship between arterial stiffness and thyroid and parathyroid diseases. For each selected article, data on arterial stiffness were extracted and factors that may have an impact on arterial stiffness were identified. We considered 24 papers concerning hypothyroidism, 9 hyperthyroidism and 16 primary hyperparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism. Most studies evidenced an increase in arterial stiffness biomarkers in hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and primary hyperparathyroidism, even in subclinical and mild forms, although heterogeneity of measurement methods and of study designs prevented a definitive conclusion, suggesting that the assessment of arterial stiffness may be considered in the clinical evaluation of cardiovascular risk in these diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the importance of understanding and incorporating cultural context within Aotearoa/New Zealand when engaging in clinical research and practice. This paper reports on the qualitative findings of a mixed methods study aimed at determining what effect a cardiac risk reduction exercise and lifestyle management programme, embedded within a kaupapa Māori methodological approach, had on Māori participants. This methodology saw participants able to redevelop a western model cardiac risk reduction programme by introducing a Māori worldview. Our study revealed how the kaupapa Māori approach empowered participants to examine and evaluate not only their own health and lifestyle choices, but those of family and the wider community. Combining biomedical and kaupapa Māori components into the programme was found to benefit participants' mental, physical, spiritual and family well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The six-minute walk test (6MWT) provides an objective measurement of a person's functional exercise capacity. In this study, we developed a smartphone application that allows cardiac patients to do a self-administered 6MWT at home on a random trajectory. In a prospective study with 102 cardiovascular disease patients, we aimed to identify the optimal circumstances to perform a smartphone-measured 6MWT, i.e., the best algorithm and the best position to wear the smartphone during the test. Furthermore, we investigated if a random walk is as accurate as a standardized 6MWT. When considering both the reliability and accuracy of the distance walked, the best circumstances to perform a standardized smartphone-measured 6MWT are wearing the smartphone in a strap around the patient's arm and using an algorithm that relies on the processed step count data acquired from Google Fit. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a smartphone-measured walk along a random trajectory is as accurate to determine a cardiac patient's functional exercise capacity as a standardized (smartphone-measured) 6MWT. We conclude this paper by presenting how our 6MWT application can be used in a home setting to remotely follow up on cardiac patients' functional exercise capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for a constant health monitoring system is essential especially for cardiovascular disease (CVD) that may cause sudden stroke or even death. In this paper, we present the design and development of a low-cost, efficient, and user-friendly portable Electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring device. Most of the existing heart rate measurement devices and tools available in underdeveloped countries like Pakistan are quite expensive, far to reach and inaccessible in most of the rural areas especially for the female population to reach the healthcare centers. Our proposed device monitors the patient's body information using three lead-silver chloride ECG disposable electrodes and detects the pulse signal. The detected heart pulse signal is first filtered and then amplified. The device can display the heart signal on an external PC/laptop Graphical User Interface (GUI) and the digitized pulse rate on a Liquid Crystal Display or (LCD) to detect any signs of abnormality. We have evaluated the device on several trial subjects. Finally, the results were compared with the standard ECG signal. Our device measures the pulse signal with good accuracy like commercial devices with higher costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA editing, a common and potentially highly functional form of RNA modification, encompasses two different RNA modifications, namely adenosine to inosine (A-to-I) and cytidine to uridine (C-to-U) editing. As inosines are interpreted as guanosines by the cellular machinery, both A-to-I and C-to-U editing change the nucleotide sequence of the RNA. Editing events in coding sequences have the potential to change the amino acid sequence of proteins, whereas editing events in noncoding RNAs can, for example, affect microRNA target binding. With advancing RNA sequencing technology, more RNA editing events are being discovered, studied, and reported. However, RNA editing events are still often overlooked or discarded as sequence read quality defects. With this position paper, we aim to provide guidelines and recommendations for the detection, validation, and follow-up experiments to study RNA editing, taking examples from the fields of cardiovascular and brain disease. We discuss all steps, from sample collection, storage, and preparation, to different strategies for RNA sequencing and editing-sensitive data analysis strategies, to validation and follow-up experiments, as well as potential pitfalls and gaps in the available technologies. This paper may be used as an experimental guideline for RNA editing studies in any disease context.

Protein phosphorylation is an important link in a variety of signaling pathways, and most of the important life processes in cells involve protein phosphorylation. Based on the amino acid residues of phosphorylated proteins, protein kinases can be categorized into the following families: serine/threonine protein kinases, tyrosine-specific protein kinases, histidine-specific protein kinases, tryptophan kinases, and aspartate/glutamyl protein kinases. Of all the protein kinases, most are serine/threonine kinases, where serine/threonine protein kinases are protein kinases that catalyze the phosphorylation of serine or threonine residues on target proteins using ATP as a phosphate donor. The current socially accepted classification of serine/threonine kinases is to divide them into seven major groups: protein kinase A, G, C (AGC), CMGC, Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CAMK), Casein kinase (CK1), STE, Tyrosine kinase (TKL) and others. After decades of research, a preliminary understanding of the specific classification and respective functions of serine/threonine kinases has entered a new period of exploration. In this paper, we review the literature of the previous years and introduce the specific signaling pathways and related therapeutic modalities played by each of the small protein kinases in the serine/threonine protein kinase family, respectively, in some common cardiovascular system diseases such as heart failure, myocardial infarction, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. To a certain extent, the current research results, including molecular mechanisms and therapeutic methods, are fully summarized and a systematic report is made for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in the future. [Display omitted] • Integrate the serine/threonine kinase system with the cardiovascular system and detail its molecular mechanism in the cardiovascular system. • Based on the description of the molecular mechanisms, animal and cellular experiments are utilized to support them. • This paper briefly lists the existing and potential drugs that are currently clinically targeting their molecular mechanisms. • Listed kinase families more closely associated with cardiovascular disease: AGC Protein Family; CMGC Protein Family; CAMK Protein Family. • By systematically describing the molecular mechanisms, cellular and animal experimental evidence, and clinically available drugs, it provides a theoretical basis for the future development of therapeutic drugs targeting serine/threonine kinases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Obesity and cardiovascular disease are major global public health problems. Maternal obesity has been linked to multiple adverse health consequences for both mother and baby. Obesity during pregnancy may adversely alter the intrauterine environment, which has been hypothesised to predispose the offspring to poorer cardiovascular health throughout life. In this paper, we systematically review current literature examining the links between maternal obesity and offspring cardiovascular health. Methods: This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021278567) and was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted, including two electronic databases (Ovid Medline, Embase), cross-referencing, author searching, and grey literature searches. We selected studies exploring the relationship between maternal obesity and offspring cardiovascular health, using pre-defined eligibility criteria. Studies were critically appraised using the ROBINS-I tool. Results: From 1,214 results, 27 articles met the eligibility criteria. Multiple cardiovascular outcomes were considered, including congenital heart disease, cardiometabolic parameters, and cardiovascular diseases in neonates, children, and adults. In these studies, maternal obesity was consistently associated with congenital heart disease, several adverse cardiometabolic parameters throughout life including higher body mass index and insulin levels, and greater risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Hypothesized underlying mechanisms are complex and multifactorial comprising genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic components, which can be difficult to quantify. Heterogeneity in study designs, highly selected study samples, and high risk of bias in some studies limit conclusions regarding causality. Conclusions: We identified consistent evidence of links between maternal obesity and poorer offspring cardiovascular health throughout the lifecourse, extending from the neonatal period into adulthood. Although underlying mechanisms are unclear, our findings support consideration of targeted maternal obesity prevention for promotion of offspring cardiovascular health. This all-encompassing systematic review provides critical appraisal of the latest evidence, defines gaps and biases of existing literature, and may inform potential new public health strategies for cardiovascular disease prevention. Systematic Review Registration: [ https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero ], identifier PROSPERO (CRD42021278567). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in recent decades, which are increasing due to changes in people's lifestyles. Their treatment has high costs and a long treatment process. Therefore, predicting such diseases can provide care, and prevention services and treatment programs can be very useful to increase the quality of life and reduce the cost of treatment and the risk of death for patients. Various artificial neural network (ANN) techniques and machine learning (ML) algorithms can be used as efficient and reliable methods to automatically analyze and detect the hidden patterns of patient medical records data collected through medical examinations related to cardiovascular diseases. In this paper, the multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network is employed as a supervised learning approach to detect cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, we propose a modified version of moth‐flame optimization algorithm named as MMFO which is used to achieve the optimal values of weights and biases in the MLP to speed‐up the training process and provide more accurate predictions. The effectiveness of the proposed method is assessed according to performing extensive experiments on three cardiovascular disease datasets from the UCI repository, and its performance is compared with different state‐of‐the‐art classification approaches. The results reveal that the proposed method performs better than other models in terms of all medical datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a strong risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in the population of patients living with DM. DM is associated with lipid metabolism disorders characterized by a decrease in the high-density lipoprotein blood concentration, an increase in the triglyceride blood concentration, and the presence of modified lipoproteins not routinely measured in clinical practice. Nitrated lipoproteins are produced by the nitration of the tyrosyl residues of apolipoproteins by myeloperoxidase. There is some evidence from the research conducted showing that nitrated lipoproteins may play a role in the development of cardiovascular dysfunction, but this issue requires further investigation. It was found that the nitration of HDL particles was associated with a decrease in caspase-3 and paraoxonase-1 activity, as well as a decrease in the activity of cholesterol transport via ABCA1, which reduces the protective effect of HDL particles on the cardiovascular system. Less information has been collected about the role of nitrated LDL particles. Thus far, much more information has been obtained on the relationship of nitrotyrosine expression with the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and the development of cardiovascular dysfunction. The purpose of this paper is to provide an extensive review of the literature and to present the most important information on the current state of knowledge on the association between nitrotyrosine and nitrated lipoproteins with dysfunction of the cardiovascular system, especially in patients living with DM. Moreover, directions for future research in this area were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Medic.ro is the property of MEDICHUB MEDIA, S.R.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cardiovascular diseases belong to the leading causes of disability and premature death worldwide, including in Iran. It is predicted that the burden of the disease in Iran in 2025 will be more than doubled compared to 2005. Therefore, many forecasting models have been used to predict disease progression, estimate mortality rates, and assess risk factors. Our study focused on two time series prediction on models: autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous variable (ARIMAX) and Convolutional neural network–long short-term memory network (CNN-LSTM). ARIMAX (6,1,6) had the best MSE of 0.655 among time series regression models. The prediction of this model shows a significant association in lag 4 and lag 6. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was also significant in lag 6, while CNN-LSTM had a much better MSE of 0.21. For the time series analysis and forecasts studied in this paper, deep learning models provided more accurate results than classical methods such as ARIMAX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]