Field Of Cardiovascular Disease Research Articles

Conventional Machine Learning and Ensemble Learning Techniques in Cardiovascular Disease Prediction and Analysis

Cardiovascular diseases, which significantly affect the heart and blood vessels, are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Early diagnosis and treatment of these diseases, which cause approximately 19.1 million deaths, are essential. Many problems, such as coronary artery disease, blood vessel disease, irregular heartbeat, heart muscle disease, heart valve problems, and congenital heart defects, are included in this disease definition. Today, researchers in the field of cardiovascular disease are using approaches based on diagnosis-oriented machine learning. In this study, feature extraction is performed for the detection of cardiovascular disease, and classification processes are performed with a Support Vector Machine, Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, K-Nearest Neighbor, Bagging Classifier, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, Logistic Regression, AdaBoost, Linear Discriminant Analysis and Artificial Neural Networks methods. A total of 918 observations from Cleveland, Hungarian Institute of Cardiology, University Hospitals of Switzerland, and Zurich, VA Medical Center were included in the study. Principal Component Analysis, a dimensionality reduction method, was used to reduce the number of features in the dataset. In the experimental findings, feature increase with artificial variables was also performed and used in the classifiers in addition to feature reduction. Support Vector Machines, Decision Trees, Grid Search Cross Validation, and existing various Bagging and Boosting techniques have been used to improve algorithm performance in disease classification. Gaussian Naïve Bayes was the highest-performing algorithm among the compared methods, with 91.0% accuracy on a weighted average basis as a result of a 3.0% improvement.

Research progress on the therapeutic application of extracellular vesicles in erectile dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most common male sexual dysfunctions and is related to many pathogenic factors. However, first-line treatment, represented by phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, is unable to maintain long-term efficacy. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have recently attracted the attention of researchers in the fields of cardiovascular disease, neurologic disease, and regenerative medicine and may become a treatment for ED. This article reviews recent applications of EVs in the treatment of ED from the aspects of the source, the therapeutic mechanism, and the strategies to enhance therapeutic efficacy. These research advances lay the foundation for further research and provide references for in-depth understanding of the therapeutic mechanism and possible clinical application of EVs in ED.

Health benefit of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum): a mini review

The importance of nutrition and its impact on human well-being has increased interest in "functional foods." This has prompted a reevaluation of the practical advantages offered by various conventional food sources. it is the richest known source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), phytoestrogen lignans, and solubility fiber, flax continues to acquire popularity as a functional food and is currently gaining attention in the field of cardiovascular disease. Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, a lignin derivative found in flaxseeds, is metabolized into mammalian lignans. Lignans have numerous biological effects. Flax lignans have an effect on the early warning indications of breast and colon carcinogenesis in animal models. Regular flaxseed consumption may affect total and lowdensity lipoprotein levels in the blood. Increase serum levels of the omega-3 fatty acids ALA and eicosapentaenoic acid, reduce inflammatory markers, and reduce postprandial glucose absorption. Flaxseed has demonstrated significant antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties in both animal and human research. In cases such as cardiovascular risk, certain types of cancer, and other metabolic disorders, a flaxseed supplement in the diet may be beneficial. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of fresh flaxseed and flaxseed-based baked goods for maintaining health and preventing disease. This article focuses on the 'nutraceutical' potential of 'flaxseed' and its function as a 'medicine food' that is both therapeutic and preventative.

Targeted H2S-Mediated Gas Therapy with pH-Sensitive Release Property for Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Platelet Membrane.

Management of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) in reperfusion therapy remains a major obstacle in the field of cardiovascular disease, but current available therapies have not yet been achieved in mitigating myocardial injury due to the complex pathological mechanisms of MIRI. Exogenous delivery of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to the injured myocardium can be an effective strategy for treating MIRI due to the multiple physiologic functions of H2S, including anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and mitochondrial protective effects. Here, to realize the precise delivery and release of H2S, we proposed the targeted H2S-mediated gas therapy with pH-sensitive release property mediated by platelet membranes (PMs). In this study, a biomimetic functional poly(lactic-co-ethanolic acid) nanoparticle (RAPA/JK-1-PLGA@PM) was fabricated by loading rapamycin (RAPA; mTOR inhibitor) and JK-1 (H2S donor) and then coated with PM. Invitro observations were conducted including pharmaceutical evaluation, H2S release behaviors, hemolysis analysis, serum stability, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, inhibition of myocardial apoptosis, and anti-inflammation. Invivo examinations were performed including targeting ability, restoration of cardiac function, inhibition of pathological remodeling, and anti-inflammation. RAPA/JK-1-PLGA@PM was successfully prepared with good size distribution and stability. Utilizing the natural infarct-homing ability of PM, RAPA/JK-1-PLGA@PM could be effectively targeted to the damaged myocardium. RAPA/JK-1-PLGA@PM continuously released H2S triggered by inflammatory microenvironment, which could inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis, realize the transition of pro-inflammation, and alleviate myocardial injury demonstrated in hypoxia/reoxygenation myocardial cell invitro. Precise delivery and release of H2S attenuated inflammatory response and cardiac damage, promoted cardiac repair, and ameliorated cardiac function proven in MIRI mouse model invivo. This research outlined the novel nanoplatform that combined immunosuppressant agents and H2S donor with the pH-sensitive release property, offering a promising therapeutic for MIRI treatment that leveraged the synergistic effects of gas therapy.

Determination of candesartan and amlodipine using ion pair and cloud point methods

No communicable diseases are a growing concern in the field of cardiovascular disease, where the use of amlodipine and candesartan, two antihypertensive drugs, has gained significant attention as a commonly used treatment strategy. Bromothymol blue and bromocresol green were used as reagents in UV spectrophotometry to test amlodipine and candesartan. The results obtained were in the dual-ion method, assuming a linear range between 5 and 55 μg mL−1 at pH = 11.5. The optimal dye volume is 0.7 mL. The temperature at which maximum absorption occurred was recorded at 25 °C, with corresponding recovery percentages of 98.2312 % and 102.2449 %. The range of relative standard deviation values is 0.02154–0.096745. The cloud results have a linear range extending from 1 to 55μg mL−1. Thus, at pH = 11, the most appropriate dye volume is 1 mL. The observed recovery rates for this procedure are 98.1045 % and 100.5664 %, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD%) results range from 0.013205 % to 0.02427 %. The above spectral estimates were performed with a high level of accuracy, uniformity, and responsiveness. The methods described in this study have been applied in specific contexts.

Effect of Tai Chi-Based Psychosomatic Rehabilitation Exercise on Physiological Function and Mental Health of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis.

Tai Chi is an increasingly utilized aerobic rehabilitation exercise in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there remains debate regarding its effects on physiological function and mental health in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). This study aims to investigate the impact of Tai Chi-based rehabilitation exercises on physical and psychological health outcomes for CHD patients. By collecting data from 12 databases up to December 2022, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi on the physical function and psychological health among CHD patients. We analyzed twenty qualified studies involving 2095 patients. Meta-analyses revealed that compared with conventional therapy groups, those who participated in Tai Chi-based interventions demonstrated significant improvements in physical function as measured by six-minute walk test (6MWT) [mean difference (MD) = 56.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) (38.50, 74.29), p 0.01], maximal oxygen consumption ( max) [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0. 57, 95% CI (0.12, 1.03), p = 0.01], New York Heart Association (NYHA) class [relative risk (RR) = 1.34, 95% CI (1.18, 1.53), p 0.01] and physical health components (PHC) [SMD = 1.23, 95% CI (0.76, 1.69), p 0.01]. Additionally, Tai Chi participants showed greater improvement than control groups across various psychological parameters including anxiety scales [SMD = -0.80, 95% CI (-1.33, -0.28), p = 0.003], depression scales [SMD = -0.77, 95% CI (-1.32, -0.23), p = 0.005] and mental health components (MHC) [SMD = 1.27, 95% CI (0.76, -1.78), p 0.01]. The GRADEpro (Grade Guideline Development Tool) indicated evidence levels ranging from very low to moderate. The present meta-analysis demonstrates that mind-body rehabilitation exercises based on Tai Chi can improve both physical and psychological health outcomes for CHD patients. These findings suggest that this exercise pattern may be a potential option for cardiovascular rehabilitation. The protocol for this systematic review and meta-analysis has been registered with PROSPERO International Prospective Systematic Reviews (No: CRD42022370021, http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO).

Advancing Precision Medicine with Nanosensor: Emerging Technologies for Early Diagnosis of Heart Disease

Abstract: Precision medicine has emerged as a promising approach for personalized healthcare, particularly in the field of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Diagnostic approach in early basis plays a crucial impact in improving patient outcomes, as it permits timely intervention and tailored treatment strategies. Nanosensors, with their unique properties and capabilities, offer groundbreaking opportunities for detection in the primary phase and as well as disease monitoring. The basic fundamental principles of Nanosensors are important to understand the mechanism of working and utilization of the technique. Cardiac diseases are the foremost origin of illness and mortality all over the globe. The physical, biological and pathophysiology of CVDs can be precisely identified by appropriate and exact detection of pertinent biomarkers and function limits. Nanosensors basically incorporate the benefit of Nanomaterials for detection methods. Nanosensors generally exposed a great possible approach for speedy detection of CVDs, specifically in primary prophecy. Advancement of current therapy in Nanosensors for recognition of cardiac disease are briefed, including different types of sensors such as optical, electrochemical, paper-based and pressure Nanosensors. Though Nanoparticles raise the impact on health, there are some limitations in scalability, and standardization of the Nanosensor having good selectivity, efficacy, sensitivity, biocompatibility and limit of detection as compared to the conventional way. Project tactics for various Nanosensors via conforming identifying Nanomaterials, with their mechanistic approach, highlight the potential of precision medicine as well as Nanosensor.

The Effect of Stress-Reducing Interventions on Heart Rate Variability in Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Stress is recognized as a significant trigger and exacerbator of various medical conditions, particularly in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Given that heart rate variability (HRV) offers insight into the functioning of the autonomic nervous system and has been identified as a predictive factor for increased cardiovascular mortality, exploring the correlation between stress and HRV is pertinent. We systematically reviewed trials where researchers investigated the effects of stress-reducing interventions on biomarkers and time-domain/frequency-domain parameters of HRV in CVD. Eligible studies underwent meta-analysis utilizing a random-effects model. The meta-analysis showed overall beneficial effects of stress-reducing interventions on HRV for the standard deviation of Normal-to-Normal intervals (SDNN) in short-term and 24 h assessments, as well as for the low-frequency power (LF) in short-term assessment. Overall effect sizes were notably high and showed significant p-values (short-term SDNN: MD = 6.43, p = 0.01; 24 h SDNN: MD = 10.92, p = 0.004; short-term LF: MD = 160.11, p < 0.001). Our findings highlight the significant impact of stress-reducing interventions in modulating HRV by influencing short-term SDNN and LF parameters, as well as the 24 h assessment of SDNN. These results emphasize the importance of stress-reducing measures in lowering the risk of further progression in CVD and improving patient outcomes.

Myeloperoxidase to high-density lipoprotein ratio: Potential predictor of severity and outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke

ObjectiveAs a new marker of inflammation and lipid metabolism, the ratio of myeloperoxidase to high density lipoprotein (MPO/HDL) has been reported in the field of cardiovascular disease. However, the effect of MPO/HDL on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is not clear. The purpose of this study was to explore the prognostic value of MPO/HDL level in patients with AIS. MethodsThis study conducted a retrospective analysis of 363 patients diagnosed with AIS. Stroke severity was assessed by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). The short-term functional outcome was evaluated with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 90 days after admission. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between MPO/HDL and NIHSS scores. The predictive value of MPO, HDL and MPO/HDL to AIS was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). ResultsThe level of MPO/HDL in patients with NIHSS score ≥ 4 was significantly higher than that in patients with NIHSS score < 4 (P < 0.001). MPO and MPO/HDL were positively correlated with NIHSS score (P < 0.001), while HDL was negatively correlated with NIHSS score (P < 0.001). During 90-day follow-up, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that increased MPO/HDL levels were associated with 90-day functional outcomes. ROC showed that compared with MPO and HDL, MPO/HDL had the highest predictive value for 90-day functional prognosis in patients with AIS (AUC = 0.9825). ConclusionThe level of serum MPO/HDL may be potential prognostic biomarker in AIS 90 days.

Interleukin-22 inhibits cardiac fibrosis by regulating fibroblast metabolic reprogramming in myocardial infarction

Cardiac fibrosis, a significant characteristic of cardiovascular diseases, leads to ventricular remodeling and impaired cardiac function. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of Interleukin-22 (IL-22) in myocardial fibrosis following myocardial infarction (MI) and to explore the underlying metabolic mechanisms. Here we analyzed the single-cell sequencing data and found that the level of aerobic glycolysis was significantly higher in cardiac fibrosis in MI patient, which we validated through in vivo experiments. Utilizing MI mouse model, these experiments revealed decreased serum IL-22 levels and increased levels of AngII and TGF-β1. However, treatment with exogenous IL-22 reversed these changes, reduced infarct size, and fibrosis. In vitro experiments demonstrated that IL-22 inhibited AngII-induced fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition (FMT) by suppressing the expression of α-SMA, Cola1, and Cola3. Metabolic analysis indicated that IL-22 decreased the expression of glycolytic enzymes and reduced lactate production in cardiac fibroblasts. Further in vivo experiments confirmed the inhibitory effect of IL-22 on Pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2) levels in heart tissue. Additionally, IL-22 activated the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, while inhibition of JNK partially reversed IL-22's effect on PKM2 activity. These findings suggest that IL-22 mitigates cardiac fibrosis and FMT by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis by activating the JNK/PKM2 pathway. Our study highlights IL-22 as a potential therapeutic target for myocardial fibrosis and cardiovascular diseases, providing insights into its role in regulating fibrosis and glycolysis. These findings pave the way for developing targeted therapies and investigating additional metabolic pathways for improved treatment outcomes in the field of cardiovascular diseases.

Scoping Review of Screening and Assessment Tools for Social Determinants of Health in the Field of Cardiovascular Disease.

Despite the importance of implementing the concept of social determinants of health (SDOH) in the clinical practice of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the tools available to assess SDOH have not been systematically investigated. We conducted a scoping review for tools to assess SDOH and comprehensively evaluated how these tools could be applied in the field of CVD. We conducted a systematic literature search of PubMed and Embase databases on July 25, 2023. Studies that evaluated an SDOH screening tool with CVD as an outcome or those that explicitly sampled or included participants based on their having CVD were eligible for inclusion. In addition, studies had to have focused on at least one SDOH domain defined by Healthy People 2030. After screening 1984 articles, 58 articles that evaluated 41 distinct screening tools were selected. Of the 58 articles, 39 (67.2%) targeted populations with CVD, whereas 16 (27.6%) evaluated CVD outcome in non-CVD populations. Three (5.2%) compared SDOH differences between CVD and non-CVD populations. Of 41 screening tools, 24 evaluated multiple SDOH domains and 17 evaluated only 1 domain. Our review revealed recent interest in SDOH in the field of CVD, with many useful screening tools that can evaluate SDOH. Future studies are needed to clarify the importance of the intervention in SDOH regarding CVD.

Artificial intelligence applied in cardiovascular disease: a bibliometric and visual analysis.

With the rapid development of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely used in the diagnosis and prognosis prediction of a variety of diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Facts have proved that AI has broad application prospects in rapid and accurate diagnosis. This study mainly summarizes the research on the application of AI in the field of cardiovascular disease through bibliometric analysis and explores possible future research hotpots. The articles and reviews regarding application of AI in cardiovascular disease between 2000 and 2023 were selected from Web of Science Core Collection on 30 December 2023. Microsoft Excel 2019 was applied to analyze the targeted variables. VOSviewer (version 1.6.16), Citespace (version 6.2.R2), and a widely used online bibliometric platform were used to conduct co-authorship, co-citation, and co-occurrence analysis of countries, institutions, authors, references, and keywords in this field. A total of 4,611 articles were selected in this study. AI-related research on cardiovascular disease increased exponentially in recent years, of which the USA was the most productive country with 1,360 publications, and had close cooperation with many countries. The most productive institutions and researchers were the Cedar sinai medical center and Acharya, Ur. However, the cooperation among most institutions or researchers was not close even if the high research outputs. Circulation is the journal with the largest number of publications in this field. The most important keywords are "classification", "diagnosis", and "risk". Meanwhile, the current research hotpots were "late gadolinium enhancement" and "carotid ultrasound". AI has broad application prospects in cardiovascular disease, and a growing number of scholars are devoted to AI-related research on cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular imaging techniques and the selection of appropriate algorithms represent the most extensively studied areas, and a considerable boost in these areas is predicted in the coming years.

Forty-seven years of Iranian cardiovascular disease scientific publication: A bibliometric and altmetric analysis.

The present study was conducted to investigate the scientific contributions of Iranians in the field of cardiovascular research, as indexed in the Scopus database, using bibliometric and altmetric methods. This applied study was conducted with a scientometric approach, utilizing bibliometric and altmetric indicators. The research population consisted of the scientific works of Iranian researchers in the field of cardiovascular diseases, indexed in the Scopus database over a period of 47 years. For bibliometric analysis and the generation of co-citation, co-occurrence, and co-authorship maps, the authors employed VOS Viewer software and the bibliometrix package in the R programming language. In the final stage, articles mentioned on social media were analyzed and evaluated using an altmetric approach. The results indicated that the commencement point for the publication of documents was 1975, and there has been a steep increase in recent years. Moreover, the documents were primarily research articles out of 6853 retrieved documents, and a limited number of documents were single-authored. Other findings also revealed the co-authorship map of authors and the co-occurrence of words, highly cited authors and institutions, and highly frequent keywords, signifying the scientific collaboration of Iranian researchers with the United States and England. Altmetric analysis also demonstrated that 43.41% of documents were shared at least once on social media and had an Altmetric Attention score. Furthermore, the analysis of altmetric indices showed that Mendeley, Twitter, and News had the highest share of document mentions on social media, respectively. The findings of the study can offer valuable information to researchers, managers, and policy makers to become aware of the current state of research in the field of cardiovascular diseases and implement the necessary policies to inform society and enhance public health status.

Intrastent Restenosis: A Comprehensive Review.

The primary objective of this paper is to delineate and elucidate the contemporary advancements, developments, and prevailing trajectories concerning intrastent restenosis (ISR). We aim to provide a thorough overview of the most recent developments in this area, covering various aspects such as pathophysiological insights, therapeutic approaches, and new strategies for tackling the complex challenges of ISR in modern clinical settings. The authors have undertaken a study to address a relatively new medical challenge, recognizing its significant impact on the morbidity and mortality of individuals with cardiovascular diseases. This effort is driven by the need to fully understand, analyze, and possibly improve the outcomes of this emerging medical issue within the cardiovascular disease field. We acknowledge its considerable clinical implications and the necessity for innovative methods to mitigate its effects on patient outcomes. Therefore, our emphasis was directed towards elucidating the principal facets of the condition's prevalence, expounding upon the foundational mechanisms underscoring conspicuous restenosis, and delineating the risk factors relevant in shaping the contemporary landscape of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. This thorough examination aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the various dimensions of the condition, including epidemiological data, pathophysiological complexities, and clinical considerations critical for evaluating and enhancing current diagnostic and treatment approaches.

Endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases: The role of human induced pluripotent stem cells and tissue engineering.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains to be the leading cause of death globally today and therefore the need for the development of novel therapies has become increasingly important in the cardiovascular field. The mechanism(s) behind the pathophysiology of CVD have been laboriously investigated in both stem cell and bioengineering laboratories. Scientific breakthroughs have paved the way to better mimic cell types of interest in recent years, with the ability to generate any cell type from reprogrammed human pluripotent stem cells. Mimicking the native extracellular matrix using both organic and inorganic biomaterials has allowed full organs to be recapitulated in vitro. In this paper, we will review techniques from both stem cell biology and bioengineering which have been fruitfully combined and have fueled advances in the cardiovascular disease field. We will provide a brief introduction to CVD, reviewing some of the recent studies as related to the role of endothelial cells and endothelial cell dysfunction. Recent advances and the techniques widely used in both bioengineering and stem cell biology will be discussed, providing a broad overview of the collaboration between these two fields and their overall impact on tissue engineering in the cardiovascular devices and implications for treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Knowledge domain and emerging trends of autophagy in cardiovascular research: A bibliometric analysis.

Autophagy is essential for the homeostasis and function of the cardiovascular system. Citespace is a visual analysis software developed in the context of scientometrics and data visualization. The purpose of this study is to use Citespace software to conduct bibliometric and visual analysis of the research on autophagy in cardiovascular diseases, identify the current status, hot spots and trends in this field, help researchers clarify the future research focus and direction of autophagy in cardiovascular diseases, and provide more positive and broader ideas for the treatment and drug development of cardiovascular diseases. In the Web of Science Core Collection database to download the data from 2004 to 2022 regarding autophagy in cardiovascular research. CitespaceV was used to collect the research status, hotspots and development trends for visual analysis. The 3568 articles were published by 547 authors from 397 institutions in 75 countries. From 2004 to 2021, the annual publications increased over time. The top 3 productive nations were China, the United States, and Germany. The leading institution was China's Fudan University. The most cited paper is Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition). The research hotpots include monitoring methods for autophagy activity, changes in autophagy levels in different types of cardiovascular diseases, autophagy signal transduction mechanism in cardiovascular diseases, etc. Bibliometric analysis provided valuable information for autophagy research in cardiovascular disease, which is full of opportunities and challenges. The research of autophagy in the field of cardiovascular diseases is still worthy of in-depth exploration. A challenge with autophagy-targeted therapies is their dichotomy in which the goal is to target maladaptive autophagy while maintaining a baseline level of cell survival to optimize a beneficial outcome. It is necessary for scientists to develop new methods to evaluate the level of autophagy from basic application to human body and reveal the signaling mechanism of autophagy in different types of cardiovascular diseases.

Non-coding RNAs as regulators of the Hippo pathway in cardiac development and cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular diseases pose a serious threat to human health. The onset of cardiovascular diseases involves the comprehensive effects of multiple genes and environmental factors, and multiple signaling pathways are involved in regulating the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. The Hippo pathway is a highly conserved signaling pathway involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. Recently, it has been widely studied in the fields of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cell regeneration. Non-coding RNA (ncRNAs), which are important small molecules for the regulation of gene expression in cells, can directly target genes and have diverse regulatory functions. Recent studies have found that ncRNAs interact with Hippo pathway components to regulate myocardial fibrosis, cardiomyocyte proliferation, apoptosis, and hypertrophy and play an important role in cardiovascular disease. In this review, we describe the mode of action of ncRNAs in regulating the Hippo pathway, provide new ideas for further research, and identify molecules involved in the mechanism of action of ncRNAs and the Hippo pathway as potential therapeutic targets, with the aim of finding new modes of action for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

A roadmap for sex- and gender-disaggregated health research

Sex and gender are fundamental aspects of health and wellbeing. Yet many research studies fail to consider sex or gender differences, and even when they do this is often limited to merely cataloguing such differences in the makeup of study populations. The evidence on sex and gender differences is thus incomplete in most areas of medicine. This article presents a roadmap for the systematic conduct of sex- and gender-disaggregated health research. We distinguish three phases: the exploration of sex and gender differences in disease risk, presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes; explaining any found differences by revealing the underlying mechanisms; and translation of the implications of such differences to policy and practice. For each phase, we provide critical methodological considerations and practical examples are provided, taken primarily from the field of cardiovascular disease. We also discuss key overarching themes and terminology that are at the essence of any study evaluating the relevance of sex and gender in health. Here, we limit ourselves to binary sex and gender in order to produce a coherent, succinct narrative. Further disaggregation by sex and gender separately and which recognises intersex, non-binary, and gender-diverse identities, as well as other aspects of intersectionality, can build on this basic minimum level of disaggregation. We envision that uptake of this roadmap, together with wider policy and educational activities, will aid researchers to systematically explore and explain relevant sex and gender differences in health and will aid educators, clinicians, and policymakers to translate the outcomes of research in the most effective and meaningful way, for the benefit of all.

Isolation of Vascular Wall Mesenchymal Stem Cells from the Thoracic Aorta of Adult Göttingen Minipigs: A New Protocol for the Simultaneous Endothelial Cell Collection.

Two main classes of perivascular multipotent populations have been described: the microvascular pericytes and the vascular wall mesenchymal stem cells (VW-MSCs). VW-MSCs are isolated from large vessels in many species and they participate in vascular remodeling together with other cellular components such as endothelial cells. Considering that the Göttingen Minipigs are widely used in Europe as a translational model in the field of cardiovascular diseases, the aim of the present research was to isolate VW-MSCs from the adult aorta of Göttingen Minipigs while preserving and also collecting endothelial cells. The results obtained in the present research demonstrated that this new protocol allows us to obtain a pure population of VW-MSCs and endothelial cells. VW-MSCs from Göttingen Minipigs responded fully to the MSC minima international criteria, being positive to CD105, CD90, and CD44 and negative to CD45 and CD34. Moreover, VW-MSCs presented a differentiative potential towards osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic lineages. Overall, the present protocol, preserving the viability and phenotypic features of the two isolated populations, opens future possibilities of using minipig VW-MSCs and endothelial cells in in vitro vascular remodeling studies.

Unlocking the Potential of Immunotherapy in Cardiovascular Disease: A Comprehensive Review of Applications and Future Directions.

Immunotherapy has emerged as a pioneering therapeutic approach that harnesses the immune system's abilities to combat diseases, particularly in the field of oncology where it has led to significant advancements. However, despite its significant impact in the field of oncology, the potential of immunotherapy in the context of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this narrative review is to address the existing knowledge and potential uses of immunotherapy in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with the intention of filling the existing gap in understanding. Furthermore, the review thoroughly examines the future prospects of this swiftly advancing field, providing insights into the aspects that necessitate further investigation and addressing the forthcoming challenges. The review is organized into four distinct sections to enhance comprehension. The first section introduces immunotherapy, presenting the fundamental concepts and principles. The second section explores the immunomodulatory mechanisms in cardiovascular disease (CVD), with a specific focus on the intricate interplay between the immune system and the development of cardiovascular pathogenesis. The utilization of immunotherapy in specific cardiovascular conditions will be examined, investigating the application of immunotherapy in the context of different cardiovascular diseases. The future prospects and challenges in immunotherapy for cardiovascular diseases will be discussed, highlighting the potential areas for future research and addressing the barriers that must be overcome to effectively implement immunotherapeutic interventions in the management of cardiovascular diseases.