Peking University Health Science Center Research Articles

Meet the First Authors.

HomeCirculation ResearchVol. 132, No. 1Meet the First Authors Free AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBMeet the First Authors Originally published5 Jan 2023https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000588Circulation Research. 2023;132:3–6is related toDivergent Actions of Myofibroblast and Myocyte β2-Adrenoceptor in Heart Failure and Fibrotic RemodelingACE2 in Gut Integrity and Diabetic Retinopathy (p e1)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Ram Prasad is a Scientist-I in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB). He earned his PhD in India in 2010 and joined UAB, chasing his dreams of becoming a successful scientist. His research focuses on deciphering the molecular signaling linked with disease progression and its clinical manifestation so that an efficient interventional approach can be achieved. The primary area of his research is diabetes and its microvascular complications in the retina and heart. He is interested in exploring key mechanism(s), initiated by disturbed gut axis, which result in aberrant angiogenesis in retina and development of retinopathy and perivascular and interstitial cardiac fibrosis in diabetes. Outside the lab, he likes to spend time with his family and participate in indoor and outdoor activities. He can be found on Twitter @ramprasadUAB.Download figureDownload PowerPointJason L. Floyd is a PhD candidate in the Graduate Biomedical Sciences program at UAB. Originally from Huntsville, AL, Jason attended the University of North Alabama where he earned his BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology. At UAB, he joined the group of Maria B. Grant, where he studies the role of aberrant intestinal inflammation in the development and progression of microvascular complications in diabetes, particularly diabetic retinopathy. Following completion of his PhD and subsequent postdoctoral training, Jason intends to pursue scientific discovery in academia. He can be found on Twitter @jasonlfloyd_uab.Epsins Regulate Lipid Metabolism and Transport (p e22)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Kui Cui is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr Hong Chen’s Lab in the Vascular Biology Program of Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital. Kui earned his MS at Soochow University (mentor, Dr Zhenghong Qin) and PhD at East Tennessee State University (mentor, Dr Valentin Yakubenko). Dr Cui is interested in lipid metabolism and therapies for cardiovascular diseases and lymphatic dysfunction using nano-therapy, computational science and cell molecular biology. His recent work investigates the role of macrophage epsins in cholesterol transport during the regression of atherosclerosis. His longterm goal is to develop new therapeutic strategies to improve human vascular health. Outside of the lab, he enjoys traveling, tennis and photography.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Beibei Wang is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Dr Hong Chen’s Lab in the Vascular Biology Program of Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, focusing on the mechanism of lipid metabolism dysfunction and cell phenotypic switching in atherosclerosis and the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Dr Wang earned her MD and PhD at Tianjin Medical University. In 2014, she completed her PhD with a focus on the molecular and cellular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and gained her National Natural Science Foundation funding, under the supervision of Dr Lijun Zhang. She is passionate about the lab. Outside of the laboratory, she loves to bake, ski and spend time with her family.15-PGDH Inhibition Blocks Cardiac Fibrosis (p 10)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Marcello Rubino is an Italian molecular biologist. During his undergraduate and PhD training, Marcello focused on epigenetic modifications regulating inflammatory responses in tumors. He spent three years of postdoctoral work studying how lncRNAs affect cardiac hypertrophy with Dr Gianluigi Condorelli in Milan. Marcello then transitioned to Dr Timothy McKinsey’s lab in Colorado to study molecular mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis, with an eye toward developing novel antifibrotic therapies. The move to the USA also facilitated Marcello’s passion to study primary human cardiac fibroblasts and, beyond the bench, to expand his scientific network. Marcello recently returned to Italy to begin his transition to an independent investigator working on the intersection between epigenetics, inflammation and cardiac fibrosis. In his free time, Marcello enjoys hiking, cooking and spinning vinyl classic rock records.Praliciguat Promotes Ischemic Limb Reperfusion (p 34)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Ninon Foussard is a diabetologist and nutritionist. She earned her MD from the University of Bordeaux in 2021. She began a PhD program in 2021 at the University of Bordeaux and the Inserm U1034 laboratory. Her clinical and research interests are currently focused on diabetic complications, especially lower-extremity arterial disease. Supervised by Dr Marie-Ange Renault, she is investigating new pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic approaches for peripheral arterial disease. Outside of science, she is a sports fan, especially volleyball. She can be found on Twitter @FoussardNinonTXNIP Regulates Atherosclerotic Calcification (p 52)Download figureDownload PowerPointSang-Ho Woo is a PhD student in Veterinary Pathology at Seoul National University, where he earned his BS and DVM. As a research project for his PhD thesis, in collaboration with the pathophysiology lab of Hanyang University, he discovered a novel function of TXNIP as a checkpoint inhibitor for atherosclerotic calcification by suppressing the osteochondrogenic transition of VSMCs. He plans to extend his research experience in the cardiovascular system to other disease areas, and is interested in research that can combine his histopathological expertise with NGS data (e.g. spatial transcriptomics). Outside the lab, he enjoys exercises and sports, especially badminton.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Dongsoo Kyung earned his PhD in the interdisciplinary program in Bioinformatics from Seoul National University in 2021. For his thesis, he studied the genomic factors related to communication between the adipogenic stem cells and surrounding cells in obesity-related metabolic diseases through single cell transcriptomics and bioinformatics techniques under the supervision of Dr Je Kyung Seong. He is now a senior researcher at IMBDx, Inc., Seoul, where he is developing algorithms for companion diagnosis of solid cancer through cell-free DNA from metastasis cancer patients. He also serves as an Industry Advisory Board (IAB) member in the Department of Life Science at Hanyang University, Seoul. His major interest is understanding how genetic alteration affects epigenetic nature in disease state.Tropoelastin Therapy for Myocardial Infarction (p 72)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Robert Hume earned his BS and MS in Biomaterial Science and Tissue Engineering from the University of Sheffield in 2012. Robert then earned his PhD at the University of Cambridge, developing a tissue engineered model of breast cancer for therapeutic testing. After a change of heart, Robert switched to cardiac research and began postdoctoral training with Dr Chong at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research (University of Sydney, Australia). Robert’s main area of research interest is heart failure and developing therapies to combat its adverse effects on the body.Robert utilized perseverance, determination and the help of his colleagues to produce the exciting discoveries integral to this publication’ success, including a collaboration formed with Dr Tony Weiss and a Vanguard grant from the Heart Foundation. As Robert is driven by how research can improve patients’ lives, he is excited that this publication provides preclinical data for a potential new therapy for myocardial infarction.Robert has recently started a Postdoctoral Fellowship under the mentorship of Dr Sean Lal, Dr John O’Sullivan and Dr Paul Bannon at the University of Sydney and the Baird Institute, where he will be investigating different forms human heart failure and aortic disease, utilizing the impressive collection of human cardiac samples within the Sydney Heart Bank.Phase Separation of DDR1 Promotes YAP Activation (p 87)Download figureDownload PowerPointJiayu Liu is a PhD candidate at Peking University Health Science Center. She earned her BS in Basic Medical Sciences in September, 2020 and joined Dr Jing Zhou’s laboratory. Because of her interest in mechanobiology, her research focuses on the mechanosensing and mechanotransduction in vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. Her longterm goal is to deepen the understanding of the mechanical regulation of vascular homeostasis. Outside of work, she enjoys reading novels and listening to music.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Jin Wang earned her PhD at Peking University School of Basic Medical Sciences, where she studied the impact of vessel mechanical properties on vascular function, and the mechanism of vascular smooth cells in sensing extracellular matrix stiffness. She is currently employed at Capital Medical University Beijing Ditan Hospital. She plans to continue her academic research focusing on the cross-talk between cell and extracellular microenvironment. Outside of the lab, she enjoys playing drums and snowboarding.Lineage-Restricted β2AR Action in Cardiac Fibrosis (p 106)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Bingqing Deng is an associate professor in cardiology at Sun Yat-Sen University, China. She completed her internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital. She started this project as a visiting scholar after joining Yang Kevin Xiang’s lab at UC Davis in 2017. Her major research interests are in diverged actions of beta2-adrenoceptor in different heart cells and cardiac adrenergic signaling in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Besides that, she is an excellent interventional echocardiologist. She can be found on Twitter @bingqing_deng.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Yu Zhang is an assistant research fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at Guangzhou Medical University. She earned her BS and PhD from Sun Yat-Sen University. She was trained in Dr Kevin Xiang’s lab at UC Davis as a visiting scholar, where she started her career in the mechanism study of cardiac diseases. She is interested in understanding the mechanism of cardiac fibrosis and the role of β2 adrenergic receptors in cardiovascular diseases. Her next plan is to expand her current research and develop potential therapeutic strategies for cardiac fibrosis. Outside of work, she enjoys music, reading and traveling. Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsRelated articlesDivergent Actions of Myofibroblast and Myocyte β2-Adrenoceptor in Heart Failure and Fibrotic RemodelingBingqing Deng, et al. Circulation Research. 2023;132:106-108 January 6, 2023Vol 132, Issue 1 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics © 2022 American Heart Association, Inc.https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000588PMID: 36603065 Originally publishedJanuary 5, 2023 PDF download Advertisement

Cardiac β-Adrenoceptor Signaling: The New Insight on An Old Target in the Therapy of Cardiovascular Disease

Review Cardiac β-Adrenoceptor Signaling: The New Insight on An Old Target in the Therapy of Cardiovascular Disease Ying Song 1, Anthony Yiu-Ho Woo 2,*, Yan Zhang 3,4,*, and Ruiping Xiao 5,6,7,8 1 Center of Basic Medical Research, Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China. 2 School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China. 3 Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ministry of Education, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China. 4 Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China. 5 State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. 6 Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China. 7 Beijing City Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. 8 PKU-Nanjing Joint Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing, 210000, China. * Correspondence: yiuhowoo@syphu.edu.cn (Anthony Yiu-Ho Woo), Tel.: +86-24-23986375; zhangyan9876@pku.edu.cn (Yan Zhang), Tel.: +86-10-82805945.     Received: 19 October 2022 Accepted: 28 October 2022 Published: 21 December 2022   Abstract: A variety of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in the regulation of cardiovascular function. The β-adrenoceptors (β-ARs), with three subtypes, are the dominant receptor species in the heart, in which the β1-AR and the β2-AR are considered functional. Stimulation of the β-ARs produces myocardial inotropy via activation of the Gs-cAMP-PKA signaling cascade. Prolonged stimulation of the β1-AR is cardiac harmful because the stimulated β1-AR couples only to Gs proteins and it mediates a cardiotoxic signal. On the other hand, the β2-AR couples dually to both Gs and Gi proteins and the β2-AR-Gi pathway is antiapoptotic. The activated Gi signal also counteracts the β-AR-Gs-promoted positive inotropic effect. Other key players in cardiac β-AR signaling include Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs), GPCR kinases (GRKs), β-arrestins and phosphodiesterases. During heart failure, excessive sympathetic stimulation results in the activation of the cardiotoxic β1-AR-CaMKIIδ pathway and the upregulation of GRK2 and Gi in the heart. GRK2 promotes the desensitization of β-ARs and enhances a β2-AR-mediated Gi signaling. These signal transduction processes accompanying the downregulation of the β1-AR are involved in cardiac dysfunction, maladaptive cardiac remodeling, and the progression of chronic heart failure. β-Blockers are widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. They have established their position as one of the “four pillars of heart failure” thirty years ago. In the present review, we provide an overview of the recent progress in the basic research of GPCRs focusing on cardiac β-AR signal transduction.

Meet the First Authors.

HomeCirculation ResearchVol. 131, No. 10Meet the First Authors Free AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBMeet the First Authors Originally published27 Oct 2022https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000580Circulation Research. 2022;131:790–791Sox17 Deficiency Promotes PAH via c-Met Activation (p 792)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Chan Soon Park is a clinical fellow in the Division of Cardiology at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH). He earned his BS and MS in Medicine from Seoul National University and his PhD in Medical Science and Engineering from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). During the PhD program in Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering in KAIST, he was able to learn basic and translational research, the importance of which has been increasingly emphasized in the development of novel and clinically relevant therapeutic strategies in the field of cardiology. Dr Park continues to expand his research in the roles of endothelial cells in various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) beyond pulmonary arterial hypertension. He also has interests in clinical research, including the association between metabolic profiles and CVDs as well as the role of imaging in CVD risk stratification. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking and spending time with his family.Prohibitin2 Maintains VSMC Contractile Phenotype (p 807)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Yiting Jia is a postdoctoral fellow at Peking University Health Science Center (PI: Dr Wei Kong and Dr Caihong Yun). He earned his PhD from Peking University. His early experience in research was focused on metabolism reprogramming, lysosome biology and cardiovascular diseases. Now he is gearing up to become an independent research investigator. Outside of work, he enjoys soccer, tennis and listening to music.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Chenfeng Mao is a research associate at the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology in Beijing, China. He earned a PhD in human physiology from the Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology in Peking University (mentor, Dr Wei Kong). His research focuses on extracellular matrix microenvironment on vascular remodeling during physiological and disease state. Outside of work he enjoys playing badminton.MED1, BMP/TGF-β and Pulmonary Hypertension (p 828)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Chen Wang earned her PhD from Xi’ an Jiaotong University. During her PhD studies, she was also trained in the laboratory of Dr Ingrid Fleming at the Institute of Vascular Research, Goethe University. Her research focuses on endothelial dysfunction involved in vascular diseases. She was awarded the “Paul Dudley White International Scholar” from ATVB in 2022 and has published several first-author papers including in Circulation and Circulation Research. Her career goal is to become a physician scientist working on cardiovascular diseases and related translational research. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, music and baking.Download figureDownload PowerPointYuanming Xing is a PhD candidate in internal medicine at Xi’an Jiaotong University. She also studied computational biology at Warshel Institute for Computational Biology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen. She is interested in endothelial function in cardiovascular diseases and has published several papers in the related fields. Her career plan is to become a physician who is also proficient in computational biology. She enjoys learning new things, especially what she may not be good at. In her spare time, she has a passion for animal rescue, computer programming and painting.Intrapericardial Exosomes Repair Heart via Foxo3 (p e135)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Dashuai Zhu is a postdoctoral research fellow in the BioTherapeutics Lab, headed by Dr Ke Cheng (UNC Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University). Dashuai earned his PhD from the Nankai University, China, where he started his career on cardiac repair using tissue engineering and biomedical engineering approaches. His research focuses on regenerative medicine approaches for the treatment of heart disease, with a particular interest in cell and cell-free therapies for myocardial infarction and heart failure. He can be found on Twitter @das_zhu.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Ke Huang is an assistant research professor in the Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences at North Carolina State University. He earned his MD in 2008 from Shanxi Medical University and PhD from North Carolina State University. His postdoctral training was at Duke University. His research focuses on regenerative medicine strategies with a particular interest in adult stem cells, biomaterials and nanomedicine approaches. He can be found on [email protected] Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails October 28, 2022Vol 131, Issue 10 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics © 2022 American Heart Association, Inc.https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000580PMID: 36302055 Originally publishedOctober 27, 2022 PDF download Advertisement SubjectsAgingCardiovascular DiseaseExercise

Shark Fin Electrocardiogram in the Intensive Care Unit.

HomeCirculationVol. 146, No. 14Shark Fin Electrocardiogram in the Intensive Care Unit Free AccessCase ReportPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessCase ReportPDF/EPUBShark Fin Electrocardiogram in the Intensive Care Unit Bin Zhang, PhD, Zhao-Wei Yin, MD and Wenbiao Chen, PhD Bin ZhangBin Zhang https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7590-3752 Department of Cardiovascular Disease and Clinical Experimental Center, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen, Guangdong, China (B.Z.). *B. Zhang and Z.-W. Yin contributed equally. Search for more papers by this author , Zhao-Wei YinZhao-Wei Yin https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9051-1426 Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China (Z.-W.Y.). *B. Zhang and Z.-W. Yin contributed equally. Search for more papers by this author and Wenbiao ChenWenbiao Chen Correspondence to: Wenbiao Chen, PhD, No. 38, Jinglong Construction Road, Shenzhen, 518109, Guangdong, China. Email E-mail Address: [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1028-6319 Department of Respiratory Medicine, People’s Hospital of Longhua, The Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China (W.C.). Search for more papers by this author Originally published3 Oct 2022https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.062034Circulation. 2022;146:1099–1102ECG ChallengeA 54-year-old woman was admitted to the intensive care unit with septic shock induced by intraabdominal infection. An initial physical examination revealed a body temperature of 38.6°C, a blood pressure of 82/56 mm Hg, a pulse rate of 109 beats per minute, and a respiratory rate of 26 breaths/minute. At admission, a 12-lead ECG was performed (Figure 1). Serum troponin I level was 2.02 ng/mL (normal value <0.10 ng/mL) and NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide) level was 5300 pg/mL (normal value <450 pg/mL). What are the important findings on the ECG? What is the most likely diagnosis? How would you manage the patient?Download figureDownload PowerPointFigure 1. Initial ECG at admission.Please turn the page to read the diagnosis.Response to ECG ChallengeThe initial ECG showed diffuse ST-segment elevations in leads I, II, III, aVF, and V3 through V6 (Figure 1), which suggested a diagnosis of anterior and inferior wall ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. However, ST-segment depressions in leads aVR and V1 were inconsistent with that diagnosis. The prominent ST-segment depression in aVR might reflect a ST-segment elevation in lead aVR, which faces the apical and inferolateral regions. Diffuse ST-segment elevations (most prominent in leads II and aVR) might reflect extensively distributed wall motion abnormalities centered around the apex, which extended beyond the perfusion territory of any single coronary artery. The ST-segment depression in lead V1 indicated that wall motion abnormalities did not involve the right ventricular anterior region and the right paraseptal region faced by lead V1.1,2 The V3 through V6 leads showed giant R waves (amplitude ≥1 mV) that merged with markedly elevated ST segments, which formed a triangular morphology known as the same configuration called shark-fin sign and lambda-wave pattern (Figure 1). This electrocardiographic presentation is characteristic of ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction, where the QRS complex, the ST segment, and the T wave are fused in a unique complex. Although acute coronary ischemia is traditionally associated with a shark-fin sign, this unusual tracing is also occasionally found in takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC), associated with hemodynamic instability and shock.3 In addition, the rise in serum troponin I level was disproportionately lower than expected for the degree of left ventricular contractile impairment and the NT-proBNP level was much higher than typically observed in a myocardial infarction, which suggested a high degree of acute left ventricular dilation and myocardial stretch. The ECG and cardiac biomarkers provided a clue that this patient might have TTC. Confirmation of TTC diagnosis requires coronary angiography and left ventriculography. In this patient, coronary angiography revealed normal coronary arteries (Figure 2A and 2B) and left ventriculography showed systolic apical ballooning in the left ventricle (Figure 2C and 2D) with a low left ventricular ejection fraction of 38%, consistent with a diagnosis of TTC. TTC was the final diagnosis in this patient.Download figureDownload PowerPointFigure 2. Emergent coronary angiography and left ventriculography. A and B, Emergent coronary angiography showed no evidence of obstructive or spastic coronary disease. C and D, Left ventriculography revealed systolic apical ballooning in the apical region of the left ventricle.The patient was treated in an intensive care unit with a trachea cannula and mechanical ventilation. She was given empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and vasopressor support. The empiric antimicrobial therapy was replaced once the underlying pathogen was recognized and antimicrobial sensitivities were established. Systolic apical ballooning in the left ventricle was treated with levosimendan, a noncatecholamine inotrope that does not increase myocyte cyclic adenosine monophosphate or oxygen consumption. Six days later, the disease had abated and the ECG (Figure 3) showed resolution of ST-segment elevations in leads I, II, III, aVF, and V2 through V6; T-wave flatness in leads I, II, III, aVR, aVL, aVF, V5, and V6; T-wave inversion in leads V1 through V4; and mild QT prolongation. A repeat ultrasonic cardiogram 5 weeks after discharge showed resolution of left ventricular systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction, 59%).Download figureDownload PowerPointFigure 3. ECG after resolution.TTC is characterized by systolic dysfunction typically localized in the apical aspect (81.7%) and less frequently localized in the midventricular aspect (14.6%), basal aspect (2.2%), or focal aspect (1.5%) of the left ventricle. The most accepted hypothesis to explain how TTC arises is an elevation in circulating catecholamines and stress hormones, typically related to physical or emotional stress. Sepsis, a state of severe physical stress, can raise catecholamine levels, which activates the central autonomic nervous system and causes calcium overload in cardiac myocytes, leading to stunning of the myocardium and precipitation of cardiomyopathy. The rather specific ECG changes in TTC are T-wave inversion, often deep and widespread, and substantial QT prolongation, usually developing 24 to 48 hours after the onset of symptoms or the precipitating stressful trigger. ST-segment elevation involving precordial leads is seen in ≈40% of cases. In our case, cardiac involvement was associated with sepsis caused by an intraabdominal infection. The shark-fin sign, described in high-level stressors like critical illness, is an uncommon electrocardiographic finding that typically results from the fusion of the QRS complex, ST segment, and T wave. A proposed mechanism of ST-segment elevation in TTC is a mismatch between endo-epicardial wall tension and stretch-activated channel activation, which eventually leads to a transmural repolarization gradient and hence a coved-type ST modification that mimics the ischemic shark-fin sign. Mounting evidence has associated this feature with increased risk of ventricular fibrillation and cardiogenic shock.3In a critically ill patient with shark-fin sign on ECG and septic shock, TTC needs to be considered, and TTC should be included in the differential diagnosis for patients with sepsis and ST elevation that mimics acute anterior ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction.Article InformationSources of FundingNone.Disclosures None.Footnotes*B. Zhang and Z.-W. Yin contributed equally.Circulation is available at www.ahajournals.org/journal/circFor Sources of Funding and Disclosures, see page 1101–1102.Correspondence to: Wenbiao Chen, PhD, No. 38, Jinglong Construction Road, Shenzhen, 518109, Guangdong, China. Email [email protected]com

Anatomy and clinical application of suprascapular nerve to accessory nerve transfer.

BACKGROUNDLoss of motor function in the trapezius muscle is one complication of radical neck dissection after cutting the accessory nerve (AN) during surgery. Nerve repair is an effective method to restore trapezius muscle function, and includes neurolysis, direct suture, and nerve grafting. The suprascapular nerve (SCN) and AN are next to each other in position. The function of the AN and SCN in shoulder elevation and abduction movement is synergistic. SCN might be considered by surgeons for AN reanimation.AIMTo obtain anatomical and clinical data for partial suprascapular nerve-to-AN transfer.METHODSTen sides of cadavers perfused with formalin were obtained from the Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Peking University Health Science Center. The SCN (n = 10) and AN (n = 10) were carefully dissected in the posterior triangle of the neck, and the trapezius muscle was dissected to fully display the accessory nerve. The length of the SCN from the origin of the brachial plexus (a point) to the scapular notch (b point) and the distance of the SCN from the origin point (a point) to the point (c point) where the AN entered the border of the trapezius muscle were measured. The length and branches of the AN in the trapezius muscle were measured. A female patient aged 55 years underwent surgery for partial SCN to AN transfer at Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. The patient suffered from recurrent upper gingival cancer. Radical neck dissection was performed on the right side, and the right AN was removed at the intersection between the nerve and the posterior border of the SCM muscle. One-third of the diameter of the SCN was cut off, and combined epineurial and perineurial sutures were applied between the distal end of the cut-off fascicles of the SCN and the proximal end of the AN without tension. Both subjective and objective evaluations were performed before, three months after, and nine months after surgery. For the subjective evaluation, the questionnaire included the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) and the Constant Shoulder Scale. Electromyography was used for the objective examination. Data were analyzed using t tests with SPSS 19.0 software to determine the relationship between the length of the SCN and the linear distance. A P value of < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.RESULTSThe whole length of the AN in the trapezius muscle was 16.89 cm. The average numbers of branches distributed in the descending, horizontal and ascending portions were 3.8, 2.6 and 2.2, respectively. The diameter of the AN was 1.94 mm at the anterior border of the trapezius. The length of the suprascapular nerve from the origin of the brachial plexus to the scapular notch was longer than the distance of the suprascapular nerve from the origin point to the point where the accessory nerve entered the upper edge of the trapezius muscle. The amplitude of trapezius muscle electromyography indicated that both the horizontal and ascending portions of the trapezius muscle on the right side had better function than the left side nine months after surgery. The results showed that the right-sided supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles did not lose more function than the left side.CONCLUSIONBased on anatomical data and clinical application, partial suprascapular nerve-to-AN transfer could be achieved and may improve innervation of the affected trapezius muscle after radical neck dissection.

Anticoagulants for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Cochrane Review

HomeStrokeVol. 53, No. 8Anticoagulants for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Cochrane Review No AccessArticle CommentaryRequest AccessFull TextAboutView Full TextView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toNo AccessArticle CommentaryRequest AccessFull TextAnticoagulants for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Cochrane Review Xia Wang, PhD, Menglu Ouyang, PhD, Jie Yang, MD, PhD, Lili Song, MD, PhD, Min Yang, MD and Craig S. Anderson, MD, PhD Xia WangXia Wang https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1684-7076 The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (X.W., M.O., L.S., C.S.A.). Search for more papers by this author , Menglu OuyangMenglu Ouyang https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7917-6858 The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (X.W., M.O., L.S., C.S.A.). Search for more papers by this author , Jie YangJie Yang Correspondence to: Jie Yang, MD, PhD, Department of Neurology, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 32# W Sec 2, 1st Ring Rd, 610072 Chengdu, China. Email E-mail Address: [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9032-5348 Department of Neurology, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu (J.Y.). Search for more papers by this author , Lili SongLili Song https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6105-1720 The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (X.W., M.O., L.S., C.S.A.). The George Institute China at Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing (L.S., C.S.A.). Search for more papers by this author , Min YangMin Yang https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4689-7581 Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China (M.Y.). Search for more papers by this author and Craig S. AndersonCraig S. Anderson https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7248-4863 The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (X.W., M.O., L.S., C.S.A.). The George Institute China at Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing (L.S., C.S.A.). Search for more papers by this author Originally published25 Jul 2022https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.038015Stroke. 2022;53:e385–e387FootnotesFor Sources of Funding and Disclosures, see page e387.Correspondence to: Jie Yang, MD, PhD, Department of Neurology, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 32# W Sec 2, 1st Ring Rd, 610072 Chengdu, China. Email [email protected]comReference1. Wang X, Ouyang M, Yang J, Song L, Yang M, Anderson CS. Anticoagulants for acute ischaemic stroke.Cochrane Database of Syst Rev. 2021; 10:CD000024. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000024.pub5Google Scholar Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails August 2022Vol 53, Issue 8 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics © 2022 American Heart Association, Inc.https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.038015 Originally publishedJuly 25, 2022 Keywordshumansarteriesthrombosisischemic strokeanticoagulantsPDF download Advertisement SubjectsIschemic StrokeSecondary Prevention

Effect of a brief intervention with small financial incentives on alcohol consumption in China: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionAlcohol consumption is the seventh leading risk factor for disability-adjusted life years in the world, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. As the largest developing country, China...

Expert consensus on the application of rituximab in the treatment of membranous nephropathy

Membranous nephropathy is a histopathological type of renal disease, characterized by the thickening of glomerular basement membrane caused by an accumulation of immune deposits on the outer aspect of the glomerular basement membrane. Its main clinical manifestations are nephrotic syndrome or asymptomatic proteinuria. Rituximab is a murine/human chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that depletes B cells. In recent years, rituximab has been applied to the treatment of membranous nephropathy and achieved good effects. The nephrology expert panel of the Peking University Health Science Center formed this consensus by searching PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang database, VIP database and other relevant literature, and combining the current situation in China, so as to standardize the clinical application of rituximab in the treatment of membranous nephropathy and provide practical guidance for clinicians.

Investigation of online teaching in pre-medical and basic medical phases during the prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic

Objective To evaluate the online teaching for undergraduates at the pre-medical and basic medicine stage in Peking University Health Science Center during COVID-19 pandemic period and to provide reference for improving the quality of online teaching. Methods Self-designed questionnaire was used in this study. A total of 105 five-year program undergraduates of clinical medicine and eight year program of basic medicine at the education stages of pre-medicine and basic medicine and 10 teachers were selected from February 24 to March 1, 2020.The comparison between online teaching and traditional teaching in terms of strengthens and weakness was implemented. The data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test. Results Compared with the traditional teaching, 37.1% (39/105) of the students and 6 teachers considered that the effect of online teaching was equal to traditional teaching and 39.0% (41/105) of the students and 3 teachers thought that the teacher's in teaching plan document was 125% higher than that in traditional teaching and 35.2% (37/105), 19.1% (20/105), 4.8% (5/105) of the students and 3, 2 and 1 teachers thought that in online teaching environment, the classroom interaction decreased to 75%, 50% and 25% respectively. There was no significant difference between students and teachers in the evaluation of the adequacy of lesson preparation and the effect of classroom interaction (all P > 0.05). Teachers listed three advantages of online teaching as the feasibility of reviewing after class, the teaching time and place were more flexible and the students in different classes were able to join the course simultaneously; Teachers listed three difficulties of online teaching as barrier to implement the training of lab experiment, surgical operation and other clinical skills, the network is sometimes stuck, and students' learning situation were not able to be followed. There were 63.8% (67/105) of the students and 8 teachers thought that online teaching was a complementary pathway for traditional teaching at moment. Conclusions In the online teaching, the teachers are better prepared for the lesson, but the classroom interaction is not as good as that in traditional pathway. The current teaching mode should still be based on traditional pathway and online teaching function as a complementary technology to traditional teaching.

[Exploration of standardized sleep medicine fellowship training in Peking University Health Science Center].

Sleep Medicine is a clinical specialty covering the main categories of sleep-wake disorders. The formal training system for sleep medicine has been established in many countries, but not yet in China. The implementation of a pilot sleep medicine fellowship program was elaborated in this article, based on needs assessment of the relevant affiliated hospitals and teaching hospitals of Peking University Health Science Center. It was intended to draw on experiences to build up formal sleep medicine training system in future.

Jie Qiao: leading figure in China's reproductive health revolution

Four decades ago, Jie Qiao was studying medicine at what was then called Beijing Medical College, with little idea of how far her career would take her. Today, Qiao is Executive Vice President of Peking University, Director of Peking University Health Science Center, President of Peking University Third Hospital (PUTH), and is widely acknowledged as a leading figure in reproductive medicine in China. She is also a Co-Chair of the Lancet Commission on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) in China. A Lancet Commission on 70 years of women's reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health in ChinaWomen's reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) is a cornerstone for the healthy development of the next generation and a driving force for the progress of population and society in the future, especially in this era of population ageing and low fertility in China. In past decades, China's RMNCAH has made remarkable achievements in development goals related to reducing maternal and child mortality. However, as China moves towards a thriving goal—namely, towards ensuring health and wellbeing—the country faces emerging problems and new challenges in RMNCAH. Full-Text PDF

Advancing science and education through a novel collaboration platform between the University of Michigan and Peking University Health Science Center

Research in China has been advancing over the past decade with increasing investments from government and private entities. Collaboration with Chinese investigators and those in the United States has also increased as reflected in the growth of scientific papers with Chinese authors. Collaborations are more commonly based on faculty‐to‐faculty relationships which can be challenged by institutional or governmental policies. This paper reports on an institution‐to‐ institution collaboration, the Joint Institute for Translational and Clinical Research initiated in 2010 between the University of Michigan Medical School and Peking University Health Science Center, to enable and support collaborative faculty‐initiated research. Concomitant education and training programs have also been co‐developed. Beginning in 2011, 190 proposals from faculty‐to‐faculty partnerships have been submitted from which 59 have been selected for funding. These projects have involved over 138,000 patient subjects and resulted in 86 peer‐reviewed publications to date. Pilot data has been leveraged to secure $27.3 million dollars of extramural funding outside of China. Faculty and trainee exchanges take place regularly including an annual symposium with mechanisms to link faculty who are seeking partnerships by utilizing each other's complementary strengths and resources. As the collaboration enters its second decade, both institutions believe that the model offers a unique platform to promote faculty‐initiated collaborative research. Next steps include funding studies in prioritized scientific themes, and promoting access to high‐quality cohorts to attract industry partners and to develop sustainable financial models.

3D-Printed Individualized Porous Implants for Large Bone Defects: Novel Therapeutic Approach Involving 'Implant-Bone' Interface Fusion

Background: Bone defect repairs are based on bone graft fusion or replacement. However, current large bone defect treatments are inadequate and lack reliable technology. Therefore, we aimed to investigate a simple technique that uses three-dimensional (3D)-printed individualized porous implants without any bone grafts, osteoinductive agents, or surface biofunctionalization to treat large bone defects and systematically study its long-term therapeutic effects and osseointegration characteristics. Methods: Twenty-six patients with large bone defects caused by a tumor, infection, or trauma received treatment with an individualized porous implant; among these, three typical cases underwent a detailed study. Additionally, the large segmental femur defect sheep model was used to study the osseointegration characteristics. Findings: Immediate and long-term biomechanical stability was achieved in patients, and the animal study revealed that the bone grew into the pores with gradual remodeling, resulting in a long-term mechanically stable bone-implant complex. Interpretation: Advantages of 3D-printed microporous implants for the repair of bone defects included the following: stabilization devices were immediately designed and constructed to achieve early postoperative mobility and osseointegration between the host bone and implants was achieved without bone-grafting. Our osseointegration method, in which a microporous metal was used instead of a bone, subverts the traditional idea of osseointegration. Funding: This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (no. 2016YFB1101501), Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (Project Z181100001718195), and Beijing AKEC Medical Co., Ltd. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests. Ethics Approval Statement: Study animals: Approval from the Animal Ethics Committee of Peking University Health Science Center (approval no. LA2014214). The study protocol was approved by Peking University Third Hospital Medical Science Research Ethics Committee (IR6761- 2016146). All patients provided informed consent.

Role of the caudate-putamen nucleus in sensory gating in induced tinnitus in rats.

Tinnitus can be described as the conscious perception of sound without external stimulation, and it is often accompanied by anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Current clinical treatments for tinnitus are ineffective. Although recent studies have indicated that the caudate-putamen nucleus may be a sensory gating area involved in noise elimination in tinnitus, the underlying mechanisms of this disorder are yet to be determined. To investigate the potential role of the caudate-putamen nucleus in experimentally induced tinnitus, we created a rat model of tinnitus induced by intraperitoneal administration of 350 mg/kg sodium salicylate. Our results revealed that the mean spontaneous firing rate of the caudate-putamen nucleus was increased by sodium salicylate treatment, while dopamine levels were decreased. In addition, electrical stimulation of the caudate-putamen nucleus markedly reduced the spontaneous firing rate of neurons in the primary auditory cortex. These findings suggest that the caudate-putamen nucleus plays a sensory gating role in sodium salicylate-induced tinnitus. This study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Peking University Health Science Center (approval No. A2010031) on December 6, 2017.

Trans-Ethnic Mendelian Randomization Study Reveals Causal Relationships Between Cardiometabolic Factors and Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: The chronic kidney disease (CKD) public health burden has not declined as expected with current interventions on treatments focusing only on the disease. This study aims to systematically estimate the causal roles of cardiometabolic risk factors on CKD in Europeans and East Asians using Mendelian randomization (MR). Methods: A total of 45 risk factors with genetic data in Europeans and 17 risk factors in East Asians were identified as exposures from PubMed. A total of 51,672 CKD cases and 958,102 controls in Europeans and 13,093 CKD cases and 238,118 controls of East Asian ancestry were used as outcome for this study. We defined the CKD case by clinical diagnosis or by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)<60 ml/min/1·73m2. Findings: Eight risk factors showed causal effects on CKD in Europeans, including genetically predicted body mass index (BMI), hypertension, systolic blood pressure, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I, lipoprotein(a), type 2 diabetes (T2D) and nephrolithiasis. In East Asian ancestry, BMI, T2D and nephrolithiasis showed causal effects. Comprehensive follow-up analyses suggested that: (1) increased hypertension is a risk factor for CKD in Europeans but not in East Asians, suggesting the possibility of ancestry-specific disease aetiology; (2) T2D may have glucose-independent mechanisms to influence CKD; (3) non-linear MR indicated BMI above 25 kg/m2 as a threshold for increasing CKD risk. Conclusion: This study built up a strong causal link between cardiometabolic risk factors and CKD in two ancestries. This evidence could inform the design of future interventions to reduce the burden of CKD and its cardiometabolic co-morbidities. Funding: J.Z. is funded by a Vice-Chancellor Fellowship from the University of Bristol. This research was also funded by the UK Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MC_UU_00011/1, MC_UU_00011/4 and MC_UU_00011/7). Jie Zheng is supported by the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) Springboard Award, the Wellcome Trust, the Government Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK (SBF006\1117). JZ is funded by the Vice-Chancellor Fellowship from the University of Bristol. This study was funded/supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol (GDS, TRG and REW). This study received funding from the UK Medical Research Council (MR/R013942/1). The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research or the Department of Health and Social Care. J.Z., Y.M.Z. and T.R.G are funded by a BBSRC Innovation fellowship. Y.M.Z. is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81800636). H.Z. is supported by the Training Program of the Major Research Plan of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (91642120), the Grant from the Science and Technology Project of Beijing, China (D18110700010000) and the University of Michigan Health System–Peking University Health Science Center Joint Institute for Translational and Clinical Research (BMU2017JI007). N.F. is supported by the National Institutes of Health awards R01-MD012765, R01- DK117445 and R21-HL140385. R.C. is funded by a Wellcome Trust GW4 Clinical Academic Training Fellowship (WT 212557/Z/18/Z). The Trondelag Health Study (The HUNT Study) is a collaboration between HUNT Research Centre (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology), Trondelag County Council, Central Norway Regional Health Authority, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. M.C.B. is supported by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) Skills Development Fellowship (MR/P014054/1). S.F. is supported by a Wellcome Trust PhD studentship (WT108902/Z/15/Z). Q.Y. is funded by a China Scholarship Council PhD scholarship (CSC201808060273). Y.C. was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2016YFC0900500, 2016YFC0900501, 2016YFC0900504). The China Kadoorie Biobank baseline survey and the first re-survey were supported by a grant from the Kadoorie Charitable Foundation in Hong Kong. The long-term follow-up is supported by grants from the UK Wellcome Trust (202922/Z/16/Z, 088158/Z/09/Z, 104085/Z/14/Z). Japan-Kidney-Biobank was supported by AMED under Grant Number 20km0405210. P.C.H. is supported by Cancer Research UK [grant number: C18281/A19169]. A.K. was supported by DFG KO 3598/5-1. N.F. is supported by NIH awards R01-DK117445, R01-MD012765, R21- HL140385. Declaration of Interest: T.R.G. and J.Z. receive funding from GlaxoSmithKline and Biogen for unrelated research. All other authors have nothing to declare. Ethical Approval: All participants included in the CKDGen, UK Biobank, HUNT, Biobank Japan, China Kadoorie Biobank and Japan Kidney Biobank/ToMMo provided written informed consent and studies were approved by their local research ethics committees and institutional review boards as applicable.

Differences in Plastic Surgery Training Programs in China and the United States: Similarities, Pitfalls, and Opportunities.

As fueled by the booming of China's plastic surgery industry, the demand for prominent plastic surgeons has been growing. Accordingly, a better and more standard training system of plastic surgery specialists should be urgently implemented in China. To delve into and optimize the training system of this study, Peking University Health Science Center and Harvard Medical School are selected as the representatives of China and the United States, and the plastic surgery specialist training system between these 2 countries are compared based on literature research. As revealed from the results, the United States has gained sufficient experience in training of plastic surgery specialists. Moreover, the management agency of such training is more professional, as characterized by its longer development history, higher access requirement, more standard training program, higher training demands, as well as more quantitative training assessment. Thus, there is rich experience of the United States that can be referenced by China.

Pregnancy Outcomes of Single/Double Blastocysts and Cleavage Embryo Transfers: a Retrospective Cohort Study of 24,422 Frozen-Thawed Cycles

This study aims to evaluate the effect of blastocyst- and cleavage-stage embryo transfers with different numbers of transferred embryos on pregnancy outcomes in China. This was a retrospective cohort study that collected 24,422 frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles in two affiliated hospitals of Peking University Health Science Center between January 2015 and May 2018. They were divided into four groups: the single cleavage-stage embryo transfer group (C-1) (763 cycles), double cleavage-stage embryo transfer group (C-2) (13,004 cycles), single blastocyst-stage embryo transfer group (B-1) (7913 cycles), and double blastocyst-stage embryo transfer group (B-2) (2046 cycles). Of the four groups, the live birth rate was the lowest in the C-1 group (11.8%) while it was the highest in the B-2 group (33.6%). However, the B-2 group was accompanied with higher risks of miscarriages, maternal complications, twin births, preterm births, and low birth weight. Compared with the C-2 group, the B-1 group had a lower live birth rate (23.0 vs 29.0%; aOR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.72–0.85), but also had a lower risk for twin births (1.9 vs 23.4%; aOR, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.04–0.09) and preterm births (9.6 vs 16.1%; aOR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.41–0.65). The probability of live birth in the B-1 group declined from 0.25 at 20–29 years old to 0.08 at > 40 years old, while the probabilities of adverse outcomes went up with maternal age. It can be concluded that single-blastocyst embryo transfer seems to be the best choice for all maternal ages. This group of embryo transfer has significantly reduced adverse neonatal outcomes. Especially, women with younger maternal age in this group appear to prominently benefit from single-blastocyst transfer.

Meet the First Authors

HomeCirculation ResearchVol. 126, No. 12Meet the First Authors Free AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBMeet the First Authors Originally published4 Jun 2020https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000398Circulation Research. 2020;126:1668–1670is related tomiR-128-3p Is a Novel Regulator of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Switch and Vascular DiseasesERR Signaling and Cardiac Maturation (p 1685)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Tomoya Sakamoto earned his BS at Tokyo University, and MS and PhD degrees at Kyoto University, where he developed an interest in the transcriptional control of cellular differentiation and metabolism. He joined Daniel Kelly’s laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania in 2013 as a postdoctoral fellow to study mechanisms involved in the mitochondrial maturation of the heart. In the early stages of his project, Tomoya was supported by an American Heart Association Fellowship Award. He seeks to develop an independent research program focused on the gene transcriptional control of cardiac metabolism and fibrosis in heart failure. He is a huge NBA fan.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Timothy Matsuura earned his BA in biology from Dartmouth College. Subsequent preclinical research and development in the medical device industry contributed to his enthusiasm for translational research. After earning a PhD in Physiology from the University of Minnesota, Tim joined the Kelly Laboratory in 2017 as a postdoctoral fellow to study metabolism and remodeling in cardiac development and heart failure. The current project highlights goals for rigorous training in molecular biology aimed at translational insights into human heart disease. He is supported by the Penn Cardiovascular Medicine T32 Training Program. In addition to science, Tim enjoys outdoor activities including camping, skiing, and running.CIRP Governs the Heart Rate Response to Stress (p 1706)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Duanyang Xie is currently a postdoctoral research scientist in Dr Yi-Han Chen’s Lab at Tongji University. He earned his MD and PhD in Internal Medicine at Tongji University (Supervisor, Dr Yi-Han Chen). His main research interest is cardiac electrophysiology. He loves to assemble the instruments for optical and electrical detection at micro- or mesoscopic level, which help him observe the electrical activity of the heart. Outside the lab, he likes popular science, such as time travel and quantum mechanics. For him, science is a good approach to understanding the world and himself.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Li Geng is currently a resident doctor at Shanghai East Hospital. After earning her MD, she completed her PhD study under the supervision of Dr Yi-Han Chen at Tongji University. Her main research focuses on the molecular mechanism of arrhythmia and heart failure. She is fascinated with the delicate interaction between the cardiac electrical conduction and mechanical contraction system, as the failure in either one might trigger the deterioration of the other’s function. During her leisure time, she enjoys reading science fiction series, which present us with the countless possibilities of the future.miR-128-3p Modulates VSMC Phenotypic Switch (p e120)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Floriana Maria Farina earned her MS in Biology applied to Biomedical Research at the University of Milan in 2015, with a thesis concerning the role of miR-320a as a potential noninvasive biomarker for arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy diagnosis. Due to the passion she developed while conducting her experimental thesis, she decided to pursue a PhD, leading not only to a complete change in group and institute, but also a change in fields to improve her knowledge and her skills. In February 2016, she entered the PhD program in Immunology of the Open University, with a project aimed at understanding the role of an atypical kinase (CDK5) in cancer progression and in tumour microenvironment. This project gave her the chance to win a 3-year AIRC fellowship in January 2018 (Associazione Italiana Ricerca Cancro). During her PhD, she continued working on the topic she is passionate about: the cardiovascular field, focusing her attention on epigenetic regulation of the inflammatory processes taking place during atherosclerosis progression. She thinks that sharing and discussing ideas with friends and colleagues is essential for succeeding in complex research endeavours. Besides her research, she loves sailing, swimming, and skiing. She spends the time away the lab outdoor with her friends and her family.Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Ignacio Fernando Hall earned his BS and MS in Applied Biology from the University of Milan. In 2016, he obtained a research fellowship at Humanitas Research Hospital (Italy) in the Department of Inflammation and Immunology in Cardiovascular Pathologies, directed by Dr Gianluigi Condorelli, and then joined the PhD program in Molecular and Experimental Medicine. He has recently completed his PhD, working in the Vascular Epigenetics group under the supervision and guidance of Dr Leonardo Elia. During his PhD studies, Dr Hall investigated the importance of ncRNA-mediated mechanisms in the orchestration of VSMC biology and plasticity and unravelling the role of the circ_Lrp6/miR-145 axis in this context. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow with the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) at Humanitas Research Hospital, and his research interests include the study of circRNAs as circulating biomarkers, and understanding the impact of metabolic changes on vessel biology in the context of diabetes-associated CVD. In his leisure time, Fernando enjoys spending time with family and friends, running, hiking, and urban/street photography.PDK Mediates Right Ventricular Fibrosis in PAH (p 1723)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Lian Tian earned his BS, MS, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China, the University of British Columbia and University of Colorado at Boulder, respectively. He undertook postdoctoral training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Queen’s University. Currently, he is a Lecturer at the University of Strathclyde. Lian’s research is focused on right ventricular function in pulmonary hypertension, with the goal of understanding the mechanism at molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ levels for diagnosis, monitoring and therapeutic treatment. Outside the lab, Lian loves hiking and fishing, and taking care of his two kids.FAM3A-ATP Axis Regulates Vascular Constriction (p 1746)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Rui Xiang graduated from Sun Yat-Sen University, China, with a BS in medicine in 2017. In the same year, she was admitted to the Peking University Health Science Center and studied for an MS in pathophysiology under the mentorship of Dr Yang. In 2019, she qualified for her PhD studying in the same lab. Her research mainly focuses on the molecular mechanisms of diabetes and its vascular complications, especially the role of FAM3 gene family in glucose metabolism and vascular diseases, and exploring new intervention strategies. Outside the lab, she loves reading and writing, as well as playing ping-pong.Download figureDownload PowerPointJi Chen is currently a PhD student at King’s College London. She earned her BS and MS in pathophysiology in 2015 and 2018 from Peking University Health Science Center. She studied diabetic vascular complications with a particular focus on FAM3A in her master project, supervised by Dr Yang Jichun. Since then, she continued to do research related to cardiovascular proteomics in Dr Manuel Mayr’s lab. So far, She has 10 publications and 131 citations as coauthors in peer-reviewed journals such as Circulation Research, Diabetes, and Nucleic Acids Research.AP-1 Promotes Zebrafish Heart Regeneration (p 1760)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Arica Beisaw earned her PhD from the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin and is currently a postdoctoral fellow with Dr Didier Stainier at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research. Arica’s research interests lie in transcription factors and chromatin-remodeling complexes, and how their interaction regulates complex processes such as heart regeneration. She hopes to continue her research as an independent investigator to understand the molecular mechanisms of heart regeneration in zebrafish and use this knowledge to promote regeneration in the mammalian heart. Outside the lab, Arica enjoys hiking, playing basketball, biergartens, and watching sports.Targeting Integrin α9β1 Improves Stroke Outcome (p 1779)Download figureDownload PowerPointDr Nirav Dhanesha is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa. He earned his MPharm (Pharmacology) and PhD from the KB Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, India. He worked as Research Scientist at Zydus Research Center before joining Dr Anil Chauhan’s lab as a postdoctoral fellow. Nirav’s long-term research goal is to understand the mechanisms that contribute to the pathophysiology of stroke, arterial and venous thrombosis. In the lab, his focus is on “bench-to-bedside” science and outside of the lab, he enjoys biking, travelling, and spending time with the family, especially his two lovely kids. Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsRelated articlesmiR-128-3p Is a Novel Regulator of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Switch and Vascular DiseasesFloriana Maria Farina, et al. Circulation Research. 2020;126:e120-e135 June 5, 2020Vol 126, Issue 12 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics © 2020 American Heart Association, Inc.https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000398 Originally publishedJune 4, 2020 PDF download Advertisement

Associations of trochlea morphology and patellofemoral alignment with prevalent radiographic patellofemoral osteoarthritis

To investigate the relation of trochlea morphology and patellofemoral alignment to prevalent radiographic patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA). A within-person knee-matched case-control study was performed. Participants with unilateral radiographic PFOA were selected from the Multicenter Population-based Osteoarthritis Study (MPOA) in three towns in northern China that was approved by Peking University Health Science Center Ethics Committee (2018PHB166-01). Radiographic PFOA, radiographic tibiofemoral OA, sulcus angle, patellofemoral index and patella displacement were assessed using posterio-anterior and skyline views of the knee. We classified sulcus angle, patellofemoral index and patella displacement into quarters and investigated the relation of each of these measures to prevalent radiographic PFOA. Among 451 participants (mean age: 65.2 years, women: 66.8%) with unilateral radiographic PFOA, a reverse J-shaped relationship was observed between sulcus angle and prevalent radiographic PFOA (P=0.039 for quadratic term). Both higher patellofemoral index and patella displacement were associated with higher prevalent radiographic PFOA. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of prevalent radiographic PFOA in the highest quarter of patellofemoral index and patella displacement were 4.69 and 3.60 (Pfor trend <0.001), respectively, compared with the lowest quarter of each measurement. A similar relationship was observed between sulcus angle with either prevalent radiographic lateral or medial PFOA. Higher values of patellofemoral index and patella displacement were statistically significantly associated with higher prevalent radiographic lateral (ORs=5.07 and 4.59, respectively), but not medial PFOA (ORs=0.58 and 0.76, respectively). Extreme sulcus angles as well as higher values of patellofemoral index and patella displacement were associated with higher prevalent radiographic PFOA.

Dietary Cholesterol is Responsible for Statin-Induced Hepatic Toxicity in Experimental Hamsters and Chinese Cohort Studies

Background: Statins are the inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase in cholesterol synthesis as widely used lipid-lowering drugs. The major side-effects of statins include muscle- and liver- related toxicity. Muscle-toxicity is highly associated with the polymorphism of CYP predictable by pharmacogenomics. However, the mechanisms of hepatotoxicity is not well understood. Due to the differences in cholesterol metabolism, statins are well tolerated in mice. In contrast, hamsters exhibit metabolic traits close to humans and would be suitable to study hepatotoxicity of statins. Methods: We investigated the effect of statins on liver damage in high cholesterol diet (HCD)-fed wild-type (WT) hamsters, LDLR knockout (LDLR -/- ) hamsters with spontaneous hypercholesterolemia. Two cohorts of clinical subjects (Clinical registry number: 2017001) on statins were recruited for direct (assessment of cholesterol intake individually, n=44) and indirect (party meal times/holiday season, n=1,993) examination of dietary cholesterol intake and liver damage indicated by elevation of ALT. Results: Statins at a dose of 10mg/kg caused fatal liver damage only in HCD-fed WT hamsters, while LDLR -/- hamsters with the same cholesterol levels were resistant to this toxic effect. In human studies, we observed that the incidence of hepatic toxicity in patients with a long-term statin treatment was higher in those who had more dietary cholesterol intake and in those who ate more during a Chinese holiday. Conclusions: Our results for the first time propose a hypothesis that dietary or exogenous, but not endogenous cholesterol, significantly contributes to the statin-related hepatotoxicity, then providing a valuable insight into the clinical use of statins. Funding: This project was supported by NSFC 31520103909 and 91739105 to G.L.; National KeyResearch and Development Program of China (2016YFE0126000), NSFC 81570787 and 81770449 to Y.W. G.L. is a fellow at the Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University. Declaration of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Ethical Approval: The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of Shanxi Cardiovascular Hospital (Clinical registry number: 2017001), and the written informed consent was provided by each patient at the time of registration. All experimental procedures were conducted under the guide of Care and Use of Laboratory Animals published by the US National Institutes of Health (No.85Y23, revised 1996) and were approved by the Animal Care Committee of Peking University Health Science Center (LA2010-059)