Relationship between interleukin-1β gene expression in epicardial adipose tissue and coronary atherosclerosis based on computed tomographic analysis

BackgroundAnti-inflammatory therapy targeting interleukin (IL)-1β reduced cardiovascular events in a randomized trial. We evaluated the relationship between IL-1β mRNA expression in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and clinically-assessed coronary atherosclerosis on computed tomography (CT).MethodsWe studied 45 patients before cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG], n ?= ?18; non-CABG, n ?= ?27). EAT volume, the coronary calcium score (CCS), and the presence of non- and/or partially-calcified coronary plaques (NCPs) and high-risk coronary plaques (HRPs; minimum CT density <30 Hounsfield units and vascular remodeling index >1.1) on CT angiography were assessed. EAT samples were obtained during cardiac surgery. IL-1β mRNA expression in EAT was measured using quantitative real-time PCR and normalized to that of β-actin in each patient.ResultsThere was no difference in IL-1β mRNA levels between patients who were scheduled for CABG and non-CABG surgery or among subgroups based on the CCS. However, patients with NCPs (median [interquartile range], 4.1[2.0-11.6]E-4 versus 1.8[0.6-4.5]E-4, p ?= ?0.024) and HRP (7.6[3.0-20.4]E-4 versus 1.9[0.7-4.3]E-4, p ?= ?0.0023) had higher IL-1β mRNA levels than those without these plaques. On multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, coronary risk factors, statin therapy, CCS, and EAT volume, the presence of HRPs was significantly correlated with elevated IL-1β mRNA levels in EAT (β ?= ?0.39, p ?= ?0.047).ConclusionOur data suggest a contribution of EAT to coronary atherosclerosis through molecular behavior, such as IL-1β gene expression, which may be a new therapeutic target.     

Validity of the combined use of two esthetic rating systems,the infant index and 5-point aesthetic index,for pre- and postsurgical evaluation of cleft lip repair

ObjectiveThe present study was designed to investigate the usefulness of combining two different ordinal scaling indices, infant index (I–I) and 5-point aesthetic index (5-PAI), for the assessment and prediction of esthetic outcome of primary lip repair for patients with unilateral cleft lip.Materials and methodsThe nasolabial appearance of the patients was evaluated before primary lip repair and at 5 years of age using cropped facial photographs with frontal and oblique views. The I–I and 5-PAI employ expanded reference photographs and objective esthetic variables for judgment.ResultsThe inter- and intrarater Kappa values of both I–I and 5-PAI demonstrated good to very good agreement (range: 0.74–0.84 for I–I and 0.62–0.77 for 5-PAI). Furthermore, both the declination of the columella and the deformity of the alar cartilage in I–I showed a correlation with nasal rating score of 5-PAI and were identified as predictable independent parameters (declination of the columella: Rs = 0.37, P = 0.04; deformity of the alar cartilage: Rs = 0.35, P = 0.02).ConclusionThe combined use of I–I and 5-PAI with expanded reference photographs and objective variables could be useful for obtaining greater accuracy of the esthetic assessment and predicting postsurgical nasolabial esthetics at infancy.     

Effect of photo-thermal acceleration on in-office bleaching

Odontology - The purpose is to evaluate the effect of photo-thermal acceleration on in-office bleaching efficiency using a bleaching agent without photocatalysts in vitro. Artificially discolored...