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Background: It has been proved that multi-contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) vessel wall imaging could be used to characterize carotid vulnerable plaque components according to the signal intensity on different contrast images. The signal intensity of plaque components is mainly dependent on the values of T1 and T2 relaxation. T1 mapping recently showed a potential in identifying plaque components but it is not well validated by histology. This study aimed to validate the usefulness of in vivo T1 mapping in assessing carotid vulnerable plaque components by histology. Methods: Thirty-four subjects (mean age, 64.0 ± 8.9 years; 26 males) with carotid plaques referred to carotid endarterectomy were prospectively enrolled and underwent 3 T CMR imaging from May 2017 to October 2017. The T1 values of intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), necrotic core (NC) and loose matrix (LM) which were identified on multi-contrast vessel wall images or histology were measured on in-vivo T1 mapping. The IPHs were divided into two types based on the proportion of the area of fresh hemorrhage on histology. The T1 values of different plaque components were compared using Mann-Whitney U test and the agreement between T1 mapping and histology in identifying and quantifying IPH was analyzed with Cohen's Kappa and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Of 34 subjects, 19 had histological specimens matched with CMR imaging. The mean T1 values of IPH (651 ± 253 ms), NC (1161 ± 182 ms) and LM (1447 ± 310 ms) identified by histology were significantly different. The T1 values of Type 1 IPH were significantly shorter than that of Type 2 IPH (456 ± 193 ms vs. 775 ± 205 ms, p < 0.001). Moderate to excellent agreement was found in identification (kappa = 0.51, p < 0.001), classification (kappa = 0.40, p = 0.028) and segmentation (ICC = 0.816, 95% CI 0.679–0.894) of IPHs between T1 mapping and histology. Conclusions: The T1 values of carotid plaque components, particularly for intraplaque hemorrhage, are differentiable, and the stage of intraplaque hemorrhage can be classified according to T1 values, suggesting the potential capability of assessment of vulnerable plaque components by T1 mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Mechanisms that control cell-cycle dynamics during tissue regeneration require elucidation. Here we find in zebrafish that regeneration of the epicardium, the mesothelial covering of the heart, is mediated by two phenotypically distinct epicardial cell subpopulations. These include a front of large, multinucleate leader cells, trailed by follower cells that divide to produce small, mononucleate daughters. By using live imaging of cell-cycle dynamics, we show that leader cells form by spatiotemporally regulated endoreplication, caused primarily by cytokinesis failure. Leader cells display greater velocities and mechanical tension within the epicardial tissue sheet, and experimentally induced tension anisotropy stimulates ectopic endoreplication. Unbalancing epicardial cell-cycle dynamics with chemical modulators indicated autonomous regenerative capacity in both leader and follower cells, with leaders displaying an enhanced capacity for surface coverage. Our findings provide evidence that mechanical tension can regulate cell-cycle dynamics in regenerating tissue, stratifying the source cell features to improve repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in the concentrations of heavy metals between newly built and original parks remain incompletely understood. In this work, two newly built and four original parks in Jiaozuo, China, were taken as research objects. Using the geo-accumulation index, ecological risk assessment index and human health risk model, differences in heavy metal pollution between the two types of parks were determined. In the surveyed region, five heavy metals, namely, Zn, Cu, As, Ni and Co, polluted the environment. Serious As pollution was discovered, and respective As concentrations in the soils of newly built and original parks were 5.9 and 3 times the background value. The concentrations of Zn, Mn, As, Pb, Cr and Ni in newly built parks were higher than those in the four original parks, although the concentrations of Cu and Co between the two types of parks were not significantly different. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of these metals in newly built parks (adults: 4.27E-05, 1.08; children: 2.53E-04, 8.94) were greater than those in original parks (adults: 2.57E-05, 0.67; children: 1.52E-04, 5.39), and newly built parks posed higher potential risk than original parks. Therefore, the concentration of heavy metals in soil must be assessed before former industrial sites are transformed into parks. Unlabelled Image • The environmental quality of newly-built parks was worse than the original park. • Impact of previous industries in newly-built parks is not weakened decades later. • Arsenic pollution decreased with the prevailing wind directions in the study area. • Arsenic pollution is the most serious in all heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Attaining proper organ size during development and regeneration hinges on the activity of mitogenic factors. Here, we performed a large-scale chemical screen in embryonic zebrafish to identify cardiomyocyte mitogens. Although commonly considered anti-proliferative, vitamin D analogs like alfacalcidol had rapid, potent mitogenic effects on embryonic and adult cardiomyocytes in vivo. Moreover, pharmacologic or genetic manipulation of vitamin D signaling controlled proliferation in multiple adult cell types and dictated growth rates in embryonic and juvenile zebrafish. Tissue-specific modulation of vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling had organ-restricted effects, with cardiac VDR activation causing cardiomegaly. Alfacalcidol enhanced the regenerative response of injured zebrafish hearts, whereas VDR blockade inhibited regeneration. Alfacalcidol activated cardiac expression of genes associated with ErbB2 signaling, while ErbB2 inhibition blunted its effects on cell proliferation. Our findings identify vitamin D as mitogenic for cardiomyocytes and other cell types in zebrafish and indicate a mechanism to regulate organ size and regeneration. Graphical Abstract Highlights • Vitamin D activates cardiomyocyte proliferation in several contexts in zebrafish • Vitamin D controls growth rate and cycling in a wide range of adult cells • Tissue-specific modulation of vitamin D activity controls cardiac size • ErbB2 inhibition blunts vitamin D-induced cell proliferation By chemical screening, Han et al. find that vitamin D promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation during tissue growth, homeostasis, and injury-induced regeneration in zebrafish. Intact ErbB2 signaling is required for vitamin D's effects. In addition, vitamin D has broad and potent mitogenic effects on a variety of cell types across different tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]