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Frontiers in Medicine 2021To characterize the sex- and age-related alterations of the macular vascular geometry in a population of healthy eyes using fundus photography. A cross-sectional study...
To characterize the sex- and age-related alterations of the macular vascular geometry in a population of healthy eyes using fundus photography. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 610 eyes from 305 healthy subjects (136 men, 169 women) who underwent fundus photography examination and was divided into four age groups (G1 with age ≤ 25 years, G2 with age 26-35 years, G3 with age 36-45 years, and G4 with age ≥ 46 years). A self-developed automated retinal vasculature analysis system allowed segmentation and separate multiparametric quantification of the macular vascular network according to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS). Vessel fractal dimension (D), vessel area rate (VAR), average vessel diameter (D), and vessel tortuosity (τ) were acquired and compared between sex and age groups. There was no significant difference between the mean age of male and female subjects (32.706 ± 10.372 and 33.494 ± 10.620, respectively, > 0.05) and the mean age of both sexes in each age group ( > 0.05). The D, VAR, and D of the inner ring, the D of the outer ring, and the D and VAR of the whole macula were significantly greater in men than women ( < 0.001, < 0.001, < 0.05, respectively). There was no significant change of τ between males and females ( > 0.05). The D, VAR, and D of the whole macula, the inner and outer rings associated negatively with age ( < 0.001), whereas the τ showed no significant association with age ( > 0.05). Comparison between age groups observed that D started to decrease from G2 compared with G1 in the inner ring ( < 0.05) and D, VAR, and D all decreased from G3 compared with the younger groups in the whole macula, inner and outer rings ( < 0.05). In the healthy subjects, macular vascular geometric parameters obtained from fundus photography showed that D, VAR, and D are related to sex and age while τ is not. The baseline values of the macular vascular geometry were also acquired for both sexes and all age groups.
PubMed: 34977079
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.778346 -
The Journal of Thoracic and... Aug 2017
Topics: Aorta, Thoracic; Child; Humans; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular; Thoracotomy; Vascular Ring; Young Adult
PubMed: 28412114
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2017.03.024 -
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth May 2023Vascular rings (VRs) exhibit complex and diverse forms that are difficult to conceptualize using traditional two-dimensional (2D) schematic. Inexperienced medical...
BACKGROUND
Vascular rings (VRs) exhibit complex and diverse forms that are difficult to conceptualize using traditional two-dimensional (2D) schematic. Inexperienced medical students and parents who lack a medical technology background face significant challenges in understanding VRs. The purpose of this research is to develop three-dimensional (3D) printing models of VRs to provide new technical imaging support for medical education and parental consultation.
METHODS
This study included 42 fetuses diagnosed as VRs. Foetal echocardiography, modeling and 3D printing were performed, and the dimensional accuracy of models was analyzed. The value of 3D printing in the teaching of VRs was analyzed based on comparing the test results before and after the teaching intervention of 48 medical students and the satisfaction survey. A brief survey was conducted to 40 parents to assess the value of the 3D printed model in prenatal consultations.
RESULTS
Forty models of VRs were successfully obtained, which reproduced the anatomical shape of the VRs space with high dimensional accuracy. No differences in the prelecture test results were noted between the 3D printing group and the 2D image group. After the lecture, the knowledge of both groups improved, but the postlecture score and the change in the prelecture versus postlecture score were greater in the 3D printing group, and the subjective satisfaction survey feedback in the 3D printing group was also better (P < 0.05). Similar results were observed from the parental questionnaire, the vast majority of parents have an enthusiastic and positive attitude towards the use of 3D printed models and suggest using them in future prenatal consultations.
CONCLUSIONS
Three-dimensional printing technology providing a new tool for effectively displaying different types of foetal VRs. This tool helps physicians and families understand the complex structure of foetal great vessels, positively impacting medical instruction and prenatal counselling.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Education, Medical; Feasibility Studies; Fetus; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Vascular Ring
PubMed: 37194003
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-05683-6 -
Cell Death & Disease May 2021There is limited and discordant evidence on the role of nicotine in diabetic vascular disease. Exacerbated endothelial cell dysregulation in smokers with diabetes is...
There is limited and discordant evidence on the role of nicotine in diabetic vascular disease. Exacerbated endothelial cell dysregulation in smokers with diabetes is associated with the disrupted adipose function. Adipokines possess vascular protective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties. However, whether and how nicotine primes and aggravates diabetic vascular disorders remain uncertain. In this study, we evaluated the alteration of adiponectin (APN) level in high-fat diet (HFD) mice with nicotine (NIC) administration. The vascular pathophysiological response was evaluated with vascular ring assay. Confocal and co-immunoprecipitation analysis were applied to identify the signal interaction and transduction. These results indicated that the circulating APN level in nicotine-administrated diabetic Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE) mice was elevated in advance of 2 weeks of diabetic ApoE mice. NIC and NIC addition in HFD groups (NIC + HFD) reduced the vascular relaxation and signaling response to APN at 6 weeks. Mechanistically, APN receptor 1 (AdipoR1) level was decreased in NIC and further significantly reduced in NIC + HFD group at 6 weeks, while elevated suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression was induced by NIC and further augmented in NIC + HFD group. Additionally, nicotine provoked SOCS3, degraded AdipoR1, and attenuated APN-activated ERK1/2 in the presence of high glucose and high lipid (HG/HL) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). MG132 (proteasome inhibitor) administration manifested that AdipoR1 was ubiquitinated, while inhibited SOCS3 rescued the reduced AdipoR1. In summary, this study demonstrated for the first time that nicotine primed vascular APN resistance via SOCS3-mediated degradation of ubiquitinated AdipoR1, accelerating diabetic endothelial dysfunction. This discovery provides a potential therapeutic target for preventing nicotine-accelerated diabetic vascular dysfunction.
Topics: Adiponectin; Animals; Apolipoproteins E; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Male; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Nicotine; Transfection; Ubiquitin
PubMed: 34006831
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03772-y -
Journal of the Saudi Heart Association Jan 2018Kommerell's diverticulum is a rare saccular aneurysmal dilation of the descending aorta. We report a case of a 3.5-year-old boy with the extremely rare combination of...
Kommerell's diverticulum is a rare saccular aneurysmal dilation of the descending aorta. We report a case of a 3.5-year-old boy with the extremely rare combination of Kommerell's diverticulum with a right descending aorta and proximal patent ductus arteriosus aneurysm forming an incomplete vascular ring. To our knowledge, this rare case has not been reported to date.
PubMed: 29296067
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsha.2017.04.005 -
PloS One 2023To observe the effect of magnesium ion on vascular function in rats after long-term exhaustive exercise. Forty male SD rats were divided into two groups, the control...
To observe the effect of magnesium ion on vascular function in rats after long-term exhaustive exercise. Forty male SD rats were divided into two groups, the control group (CON group, n = 20) and the exhaustive exercise group (EEE group, n = 20). Exhausted rats performed 1W adaptive swimming exercise (6 times/W, 15min/time), and then followed by 3W formal exhaustive exercise intervention. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to detect the morphological changes of rat thoracic aorta. The contents of interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum of rats were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin 1 (ET-1) in serum of rats were determined by biochemical kit. Vascular ring test detects vascular function. Compared with the CON group, the smooth muscle layer of the EEE group became thicker, the cell arrangement was disordered, and the integrity of endothelial cells was destroyed; the serum Mg2+ in EEE group was decreased; the serum levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, MDA and ROS in EEE group were significantly higher than those in the CON group (P are all less than 0.05); the serum NO content in EEE group was significantly decreased, and the ratio of NO/ET-1 was significantly decreased. In the exhaustion group, the vasoconstriction response to KCl was increased, and the relaxation response to Ach was weakened, while 4.8mM Mg2+ could significantly improve this phenomenon (P are all less than 0.01). The damage of vascular morphology and function in rats after exhaustion exercise may be related to the significant increase of serum IL-1β, TNF-α, ROS, MDA and ET-1/NO ratio in rats after exhaustion exercise, while Mg2+ can significantly improve the vasomotor function of rats after exhaustion exercise.
Topics: Rats; Male; Animals; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Magnesium; Reactive Oxygen Species; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Endothelial Cells
PubMed: 36780490
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279318 -
Materials Today. Bio Dec 2022The tumor microenvironment (TME), consisting of extracellular matrix, proteins, stromal cells, and a vascular system, is reported to have a key role in cancer...
The tumor microenvironment (TME), consisting of extracellular matrix, proteins, stromal cells, and a vascular system, is reported to have a key role in cancer progression and prognosis. Thereby, the interaction between the vascular network and tumor mass is an important feature of the TME since the anticancer agents which are delivered to the TME can trigger the vascular response and influence the therapeutic outcome of the treatment. To identify and develop new therapeutic strategies, 3D models that recapitulate the complexity of the TME are urgently needed. Among them, vascularized tumor models are a promising approach, allowing to target tumor angiogenesis and reduce tumor growth. By using sound patterning, cells can be condensed locally into highly reproducible patterns through the action of mild hydrodynamic forces. Here, we use a soundwave-driven cell assembly approach to create a ring-shaped microcapillary network in fibrin hydrogel. Then, we generate a 3D vascularized tumor model by combining a tumor heterotypic spheroid, consisting of fibroblasts and Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) cells, with the surrounding vascular ring. Based on its shape, we name it Saturn-like vascularized Tumor Model (STM). The growth of the microcapillary network is monitored over time by fluorescence imaging. The area covered by the microcapillary network, and its continuous increase in presence of the heterotypic tumor spheroid was monitored. Interestingly, this effect is enhanced when treating the STM with the anticancer agent Cisplatin. Overall, we show the use of sound patterning as a fast and cell-friendly approach to spatially organize and condense cells, to generate a 3D platform from which simple readouts of drug tests can be extracted by image analysis, with the potential to provide a model system for tailored tumor therapy.
PubMed: 35880098
DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100357 -
Journal of the American College of... Mar 1995This study evaluated our early experience with video-assisted thoracoscopic vascular ring division and compared this approach with division by means of a conventional... (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial Comparative Study
OBJECTIVES
This study evaluated our early experience with video-assisted thoracoscopic vascular ring division and compared this approach with division by means of a conventional open thoracotomy.
BACKGROUND
Video-assisted thoracoscopic techniques reduce surgical trauma and have been applied to several adult thoracic procedures; however, pediatric applications have been limited. We developed instruments and techniques for video-assisted thoracoscopic vascular ring division in the pediatric population.
METHODS
We compared patient characteristics, operative results and postoperative hospital courses of all patients undergoing vascular ring division by a video-assisted approach with a historical control group of all patients undergoing division by an open thoracotomy between January 1991 and December 1992.
RESULTS
Eight patients (median age 5 months, range 40 days to 5.5 years; median weight 6.2 kg, range 1.8 to 17.1) underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic vascular ring division. Four had a double aortic arch with an atretic left arch and a left ligamentum, and four had a right aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery and a left ligamentum. All eight had successful ring division with symptomatic relief and no mortality. A limited thoracotomy was performed in three patients to divide patent vascular structures, and the hospital period was prolonged in one because of chylothorax. These eight patients were compared with a historical cohort of eight pediatric patients having vascular ring division performed by a conventional thoracotomy. The two groups did not differ in age, weight, intensive care unit or postoperative hospital stay, duration of intubation or thoracostomy tube or hospital charges. Total operating room time was longer for the group undergoing video-assisted operation.
CONCLUSIONS
Early results for video-assisted thoracoscopic vascular ring division are comparable to those of the conventional surgical approach. With further refinement in technique and instrumentation, video-assisted surgical intervention may become a viable alternative to open thoracotomy for management of the symptomatic vascular ring.
Topics: Aorta, Thoracic; Child, Preschool; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Infant; Male; Thoracoscopy; Thoracotomy; Vascular Surgical Procedures; Video Recording
PubMed: 7884102
DOI: 10.1016/0735-1097(94)00461-X -
JIMD Reports Nov 2020Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a group of metabolic disorders well known to be associated with developmental delay and central nervous system anomalies....
BACKGROUND
Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a group of metabolic disorders well known to be associated with developmental delay and central nervous system anomalies. The most common CDG is caused by pathogenic variants in the phosphomannomutase 2 gene (), which impairs one of the first steps of N-glycosylation and affects multiple organ systems. Cardiac involvement can include pericardial effusion, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmia, while an association with cardiovascular congenital anomalies is not well studied.
CASE SUMMARY
We report a 6-year-old individual who initially presented with inverted nipples, developmental delay, and failure to thrive at 3 months of age. At 4 months, due to feeding problems, swallowing exam and echocardiography were performed which revealed a vascular ring anomaly based on a right aortic arch and aberrant left subclavian artery. Subsequent whole exome gene sequencing revealed two pathogenic PMM2-CDG variants (E139K/R141H) and no known pathogenic mutations related to congenital heart defect (CHD).
DISCUSSION
This is the first report of vascular ring anomaly in a patient with PMM2-CDG. We conducted a literature review of PMM2-CDG patients with reported CHD. Of the 14 patients with PMM2-CDG and cardiac malformation, the most common CHD's were tetralogy of Fallot, patent ductus arteriosus, and truncus arteriosus. The potential important link between CDG and CHD is stressed and discussed. Furthermore, the importance of multidisciplinary care for CDG patients including early referral to pediatric cardiologists is highlighted.
PubMed: 33204593
DOI: 10.1002/jmd2.12160 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2022To investigate the MRI features and clinical significance of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE).
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the MRI features and clinical significance of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE).
METHODS
Clinical records and MRI findings were retrospectively evaluated in nine HEHE patients from May 2010 to January 2020.
RESULT
There were 121 lesions in nine patients with a predominantly peripheral distribution. Five lesions (4.13%) in two patients (22.22%) had evidence of capsular retraction, and three patients had lung metastasis (33.33%). Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI showed progressive enhancement, mainly in two ways: ring enhancement with hypovascularity in four patients (44.44%) and ring enhancement with hypervascularity in five patients (55.56%). Imaging demonstrated a multilayer ring appearance, which was typically observed on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). The most common appearance consisted of two layers of varying signal, with some images displaying up to four layers. There were significant differences in the size of lesions between different layers of multilayer ring appearance ( < 0.001). All lesions exhibited a two-layer appearance on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), with hyperintensity at the periphery and a slightly high signal at the center (except for those with a single layer on T2WI). The "vascular penetration sign" was observed in most lesions, and the blood vessels of 112 lesions (92.56%) were portal vein branches, and five (4.13%) were hepatic vein branches. Pulmonary metastasis was found in three patients with the "vascular penetration sign" of hepatic vein branches.
CONCLUSION
The multilayer ring appearance on T2WI, the "vascular penetration sign", and the two enhancement patterns may be of great significance in the diagnosis and treatment of HEHE. The "vascular penetration sign" of hepatic vein branches may indicate extrahepatic metastasis.
PubMed: 35155220
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.729177