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Predicting mortality from AI cardiac volumes mass and coronary calcium on chest computed tomography
Chest computed tomography (CT) is one of the most common diagnostic tests. Here, the authors combine two AI models to measure from CT coronary artery calcium, left ventricular mass index, and left and right atrial and ventricular volumes, and show their association with cardiovascular mortality.
- Robert J. H. Miller
- , Aditya Killekar
- & Piotr J. Slomka
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| Open Access
Naked mole-rats have distinctive cardiometabolic and genetic adaptations to their underground low-oxygen lifestyles
The naked mole-rat exhibits extreme longevity, resistance to hypoxia and absence of cardiovascular disease. Here, Faulkes et al. identify mechanisms behind these traits by comparing cardiac metabolomes and transcriptomes of naked more-rats to other African mole-rat genera and evolutionary divergent mammals.
- Chris G. Faulkes
- , Thomas R. Eykyn
- & Dunja Aksentijevic
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S100A8/A9 as a prognostic biomarker with causal effects for post-acute myocardial infarction heart failure
Heart failure is the most prevalent complication of acute myocardial infarction. Here, the authors show that circulating S100A8/A9 is a robust predictor and potentially causal medicator for heart failure post-acute myocardial infarction, as such could serve as a promising drug target for cardioprotection.
- Jie Ma
- , Yang Li
- & Yulin Li
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| Open Access
Artificial intelligence-enabled prediction of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity from baseline electrocardiograms
Anthracyclines can induce cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD), of which occurrence remains unpredictable. Here, the authors develop an artificial intelligence model to robustly predict CTRCD from a single recording of 12-lead electrocardiogram taken before the initiation of chemotherapy in cancer patients treated with anthracyclines.
- Ryuichiro Yagi
- , Shinichi Goto
- & Rahul C. Deo
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Epigenetic modulators link mitochondrial redox homeostasis to cardiac function in a sex-dependent manner
Efforts to treat heart failure with antioxidants have failed. Here, authors reveal a robust sex-dependent endogenous defense against oxidative damage and demonstrate antioxidative treatment’s efficacy solely in subjects with inadequate redox capacity.
- Zaher ElBeck
- , Mohammad Bakhtiar Hossain
- & Christer Betsholtz
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Fibroblast-specific PRMT5 deficiency suppresses cardiac fibrosis and left ventricular dysfunction in male mice
Epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in cardiac fibrosis associated with heart failure. Here, the authors show that protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), an epigenetic writer, regulates fibrotic gene transcription through histone methylation in mice.
- Yasufumi Katanasaka
- , Harumi Yabe
- & Tatsuya Morimoto
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| Open Access
Elevated blood remnant cholesterol and triglycerides are causally related to the risks of cardiometabolic multimorbidity
Dysmetabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins is considered a shared risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases, but their associations with cardiometabolic multimorbidity have not been fully understood. Here, the authors show that elevated levels of remnant cholesterol and triglycerides were observationally and genetically associated with a higher risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity.
- Yimin Zhao
- , Zhenhuang Zhuang
- & Tao Huang
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| Open Access
Integrative genomic analyses identify candidate causal genes for calcific aortic valve stenosis involving tissue-specific regulation
Here the authors report 20 novel genomic risk loci for calcific aortic valve stenosis, the most common heart valve disorder. Using RNA sequencing in 500 human aortic valves, they prioritize candidate causal genes including TWIST1, a gene involved in endothelial-mesenchymal transition.
- Sébastien Thériault
- , Zhonglin Li
- & Yohan Bossé
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| Open Access
Impact of vaccination on the association of COVID-19 with cardiovascular diseases: An OpenSAFELY cohort study
SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an increased risk of arterial and venous thrombotic events. Here, the authors investigate the degree to which this association is modified by virus variant and vaccination using electronic health record data for ~18 million adults in England.
- Genevieve I. Cezard
- , Rachel E. Denholm
- & Venexia Walker
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| Open Access
Tissue engineered vascular grafts are resistant to the formation of dystrophic calcification
Advancements in congenital heart surgery stress the need for durable biomaterials. Here, the authors compare tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) with traditional polytetrafluoroethylene grafts, revealing TEVGs’ superior durability and reduced calcification, promising improved long-term success for surgeries.
- Mackenzie E. Turner
- , Kevin M. Blum
- & Christopher K. Breuer
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Article
| Open Access
N-Acetyltransferase 10 represses Uqcr11 and Uqcrb independently of ac4C modification to promote heart regeneration
Here, Ma et al. investigate the translational profile of cardiac regeneration, pointing to Nat10 as a key regulator of cardiomyocyte proliferative potential, and describing how it regulates cardiac gene expression.
- Wenya Ma
- , Yanan Tian
- & Benzhi Cai
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Article
| Open Access
Targeting HDAC6 to treat heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in mice
HFpEF has few effective treatments. Here, the authors show that inhibition of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) with TYA-018 reverses established HFpEF symptoms in mice, comparably to the use of a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor; highlighting HDAC6 as a potential target to treat HFpEF.
- Sara Ranjbarvaziri
- , Aliya Zeng
- & Jin Yang
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Protective effects of Pt-N-C single-atom nanozymes against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury
Nanozymes can be used for targeting reactive oxygen species (ROS) to alleviate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, but hindered by catalytic performance and toxicity concerns. Here the authors report multienzyme-mimicking and biocompatible Pt-NC single-atom nanozymes as an efficient ROS decomposer for restoring cellular homeostasis and mitigating apoptotic progression after I/R injury.
- Tianbao Ye
- , Cheng Chen
- & Chengxing Shen
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| Open Access
PIBF1 regulates trophoblast syncytialization and promotes cardiovascular development
The genetic link between placenta function and congenital heart defects has been established, though the cellular mechanisms underlying this connection is less clear. Here they show that PIBF1 regulates syncytiotrophoblast fusion and that loss of PIBF1 also negatively impacts heart development, providing a potential link between the development of these two organs.
- Jong Geol Lee
- , Jung-Min Yon
- & In-Jeoung Baek
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Pro-ferroptotic signaling promotes arterial aging via vascular smooth muscle cell senescence
Ferroptosis is a novel form of regulated cell death associated with lipid oxidation. Here, the authors demonstrate that the proferroptosis signal is activated and drives vascular aging by inducing senescence in vascular smooth muscle cells.
- Di-Yang Sun
- , Wen-Bin Wu
- & Pei Wang
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Article
| Open Access
Palmitic acid in type 2 diabetes mellitus promotes atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability via macrophage Dll4 signaling
Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus are increasingly susceptible to atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability. Here, the authors show that elevated palmitic acid levels are linked to increased atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability.
- Xiqiang Wang
- , Ling Zhu
- & Zhongwei Liu
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| Open Access
Enhancing aortic valve drug delivery with PAR2-targeting magnetic nano-cargoes for calcification alleviation
Achieving targeted drug delivery for calcified aortic valve is challenging. Here, the authors find that protease activated receptor 2 (PAR2) is up-regulated on calcified valves and develop a magnetic nanocarrier functionalized with PAR2-targeting peptide for dual-active drug delivery.
- Jinyong Chen
- , Tanchen Ren
- & Xianbao Liu
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| Open Access
Large scale plasma proteomics identifies novel proteins and protein networks associated with heart failure development
The pathobiology of heart failure (HF) is incompletely understood. The authors identify 37 circulating proteins and 5 protein modules associated with HF risk, with several demonstrating causal effects on HF, risk factors, or cardiac dysfunction by Mendelian randomization analysis.
- Amil M. Shah
- , Peder L. Myhre
- & Bing Yu
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| Open Access
A self-powered intracardiac pacemaker in swine model
Harvesting biomechanical energy from cardiac motion is an attractive power source for implantable bioelectronic devices. Here, the authors report a battery-free, transcatheter, self-powered intracardiac pacemaker for the treatment of arrhythmia in large animal models.
- Zhuo Liu
- , Yiran Hu
- & Zhong Lin Wang
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| Open Access
Blood DNA methylation profiling identifies cathepsin Z dysregulation in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a complex disease characterised by high morbidity and mortality. Here, the authors report methylation profiling of patients, finding disease associations in genes CTSZ, COG6 and ZNF678.
- Anna Ulrich
- , Yukyee Wu
- & Christopher J. Rhodes
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| Open Access
Injectable hydrogel electrodes as conduction highways to restore native pacing
No preventive treatment addresses the underlying condition that leads to cardiac arrest. Here, researchers developed an injectable hydrogel electrode that achieves pacing that mimics physiological conduction with the potential to eliminate lethal arrhythmias and provide painless defibrillation.
- Gabriel J. Rodriguez-Rivera
- , Allison Post
- & Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez
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| Open Access
Hydrogels with tunable mechanical plasticity regulate endothelial cell outgrowth in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis
It is vital to unveil the effects of extracellular matrix cues on endothelial cell (EC) outgrowth for desirably governing vasculature formation, but the role of matrix plasticity on EC outgrowth is elusive. Here, the authors develop hydrogels with tunable mechanical plasticity independent of stiffness, and elucidate the plasticity-mediated responses of ECs during vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.
- Zhao Wei
- , Meng Lei
- & Feng Xu
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| Open Access
A patterned human primitive heart organoid model generated by pluripotent stem cell self-organization
Pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids can recapitulate significant hallmarks of human organ development and are becoming critical tools for human research. Here, the authors report significant technical steps for generating sophisticated synthetic human primitive heart organoids.
- Brett Volmert
- , Artem Kiselev
- & Aitor Aguirre
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| Open Access
Modeling cardiac fibroblast heterogeneity from human pluripotent stem cell-derived epicardial cells
Cardiac fibroblasts play an essential role in heart development. Here Fernandes et al. describe a human pluripotent stem cell-derived epicardial organoid system to investigate the role of fibroblasts in cardiovascular development and disease.
- Ian Fernandes
- , Shunsuke Funakoshi
- & Gordon Keller
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| Open Access
Selenoprotein deficiency disorder predisposes to aortic aneurysm formation
Aortic aneurysms have a heritable basis. Here, the authors report that a selenoprotein deficiency disorder due to mutations in SECISBP2, causes oxidative stress-mediated aortic cell death, predisposing to thoracic aortic aneurysm formation.
- Erik Schoenmakers
- , Federica Marelli
- & Krishna Chatterjee
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Genome-wide association analysis of left ventricular imaging-derived phenotypes identifies 72 risk loci and yields genetic insights into hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Changes of left ventricular structure are used to predict morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular diseases. Here the authors conducted a study using advanced deep learning technology to analyze left ventricular regional wall thickness (LVRWT) in a large population, identifying 72 significant genetic loci linked to LVRWT traits.
- Caibo Ning
- , Linyun Fan
- & Xiaoping Miao
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| Open Access
Dbh+ catecholaminergic cardiomyocytes contribute to the structure and function of the cardiac conduction system in murine heart
Catecholaminergic transmitters are critical signalling effectors known to be released by sympathetic nerves and adrenomedullary endocrine cells in response to physiological stress. In this paper, the authors demonstrate a uniquely distributed group of catecholaminergic cardiomyocytes with key regulatory roles in cardiac excitation conduction.
- Tianyi Sun
- , Alexander Grassam-Rowe
- & Ming Lei
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| Open Access
Cis-trans isomerization of peptoid residues in the collagen triple-helix
The cis-peptide bond is rare in natural proteins and its impact on protein folding is elusive. Here the authors break the conventional understanding that cis-amide-favoring residues destabilize proteins, elucidate the principles of peptoid cis-trans isomerization in collagen folding, and showcase the use of cis-amide-favoring residues in building programmable and functional peptidomimetics.
- Rongmao Qiu
- , Xiaojing Li
- & Yang Li
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| Open Access
Protective effects of macrophage-specific integrin α5 in myocardial infarction are associated with accentuated angiogenesis
During myocardial infarction, cardiac macrophages expand, become activated and play an important role in cardiac repair and remodelling. Here the authors show that integrin α5 is upregulated in infarct macrophages and contributes to myocardial repair, triggering an angiogenic phenotype and protecting from adverse remodelling.
- Ruoshui Li
- , Bijun Chen
- & Nikolaos G. Frangogiannis
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| Open Access
Eicosanoid and eicosanoid-related inflammatory mediators and exercise intolerance in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Systemic inflammation is recognized as a central pathobiologic feature in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Here, the authors report 70 pro- and anti-inflammatory eicosanoid and eicosanoid-related metabolites associated with HFpEF status.
- Emily S. Lau
- , Athar Roshandelpoor
- & Jennifer E. Ho
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Gut butyrate-producers confer post-infarction cardiac protection
Here, Chen et. al. characterize the relationship between the gut microbiota and plasma metabolite changes in the context of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), unveiling a role of butyrate-producing bacteria and their ketogenesis in post-STEMI cardiac repair, a finding validated in nonhuman primate and mouse models. They show that butyrate supplementation reduces myocardial infarction severity in mice, underscoring the significance of butyrate-producing bacteria and beta-hydroxybutyrate in improving post-MI outcomes.
- Hung-Chih Chen
- , Yen-Wen Liu
- & Patrick C. H. Hsieh
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| Open Access
Ancestry-specific polygenic risk scores are risk enhancers for clinical cardiovascular disease assessments
Polygenic risk scores have been proposed as useful to refine cardiovascular risk assessments. Here, the authors validate polygenic risk scores in multiple ancestries and demonstrate their utility to more accurately assess 10 year risk.
- George B. Busby
- , Scott Kulm
- & Giordano Bottà
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| Open Access
The lncRNA Sweetheart regulates compensatory cardiac hypertrophy after myocardial injury in murine males
LncRNAs take part in fine-tuning gene regulatory networks in development, homeostasis, and disease settings. Here, the authors show that the lncRNA Sweetheart has an important role in cardiomyocytes after myocardial injury to act together with NKX2-5 in adapting gene programs after myocardial stress.
- Sandra Rogala
- , Tamer Ali
- & Phillip Grote
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| Open Access
Single-nucleus DNA sequencing reveals hidden somatic loss-of-heterozygosity in Cerebral Cavernous Malformations
Here the authors establish somatic loss-of-heterozygosity as a genetic underpinning of Cerebral Cavernous Malformations (CCMs): using single-nucleus DNA sequencing, they show homozygosity of chromosomes 7p and/or 7q leads to biallelic inactivation of CCM genes in resected lesions.
- Andrew K. Ressler
- , Daniel A. Snellings
- & Douglas A. Marchuk
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| Open Access
Endothelial discoidin domain receptor 1 senses flow to modulate YAP activation
Mechanotransduction in endothelial cells is critical to maintain vascular homeostasis. Here, the authors show that the discoidin domain receptor 1 tyrosine kinase is a mechanosensor is essential for connecting the force imposed by shear to endothelial responses.
- Jiayu Liu
- , Chuanrong Zhao
- & Jing Zhou
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| Open Access
In vivo noninvasive systemic myography of acute systemic vasoactivity in female pregnant mice
The assessment of selective therapeutics targeted to treat altered vasoactivity, a major characteristic of cardiovascular and oncological diseases, is still challenging due to unknown whole-body selectivity. Here the authors demonstrate that photoacoustic tomography has the potential to capture significant acute vasodilation of major arteries and vasculature selectivity.
- Kristie Huda
- , Dylan J. Lawrence
- & Carolyn L. Bayer
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| Open Access
Chronological adhesive cardiac patch for synchronous mechanophysiological monitoring and electrocoupling therapy
Flexible electronic hydrogels that allow conformal tissue integration, online precision diagnosis, and simultaneous tissue regeneration are desired for advancing the treatment of myocardial infarction. Here, the authors report a chronological adhesive hydrogel patch integrating diagnostic and therapeutic functions through mechanophysiological monitoring and electrocoupling therapy.
- Chaojie Yu
- , Mingyue Shi
- & Junjie Li
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| Open Access
Hypersensitive MR angiography based on interlocking stratagem for diagnosis of cardiac-cerebral vascular diseases
Current contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography approaches are sub-optimal. Here the authors present a hypersensitive MR angiography strategy based on interlocking stratagem of zwitterionic Gd-chelate contrast agents (PAA-Gd), enabling sophisticated micro-vessel angiography of cardiac-cerebrovascular diseases with ultrahigh resolution.
- Peisen Zhang
- , Junwei Cheng
- & Yi Hou
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Article
| Open Access
Endothelial Sp1/Sp3 are essential to the effect of captopril on blood pressure in male mice
Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which represents the top cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Here, the authors show deletion of endothelial Sp1 and Sp3 leads to a disruption in endothelium-dependent vasodilation and the onset of hypertension, which abolishes the beneficial actions of captopril.
- Hanlin Lu
- , Xiuxin Jiang
- & Wencheng Zhang
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Article
| Open Access
Translating genomic tools to Raman spectroscopy analysis enables high-dimensional tissue characterization on molecular resolution
Spatial transcriptomics of histological sections have revolutionized basic research, while the actual biomolecular composition of the sample has fallen behind. Here, the authors propose a novel approach to analyze untargeted spatiomolecular Raman spectroscopy data through bioinformatic tools developed for transcriptomic analyses, and integrate them with additional Omics techniques.
- Manuel Sigle
- , Anne-Katrin Rohlfing
- & Meinrad Paul Gawaz
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Article
| Open Access
Ser14 phosphorylation of Bcl-xL mediates compensatory cardiac hypertrophy in male mice
The anti-apoptotic function of Bcl-xL in the heart is diminished by Mst1-mediated phosphorylation of Serine14. Here, the authors show that the Bcl-xL phosphorylation is also promoted by hemodynamic stress, which plays an essential role in mediating compensatory cardiac hypertrophy and contractility.
- Michinari Nakamura
- , Mariko Aoyagi Keller
- & Junichi Sadoshima
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Article
| Open Access
Sinus venosus adaptation models prolonged cardiovascular disease and reveals insights into evolutionary transitions of the vertebrate heart
Nr2fs are conserved transcription factors that regulate atrial chamber and venous development. Here, the authors use adult zebrafish nr2f1a mutants to investigate compensatory remodeling of the inflow tract and hypotheses of cardiac evolution.
- Jacob T. Gafranek
- , Enrico D’Aniello
- & Joshua S. Waxman
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| Open Access
Environmental and genetic predictors of human cardiovascular ageing
Cardiovascular ageing is characterised by a progressive decline in function, which contributes to multi-morbidity. Here, the authors use machine learning to predict biological age and identify key genetic risk factors.
- Mit Shah
- , Marco H. de A. Inácio
- & Declan P. O’Regan
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| Open Access
Mitochondria are secreted in extracellular vesicles when lysosomal function is impaired
Mitochondrial quality control is critical for cellular homeostasis and survival. Here, the authors identify that defective mitochondria can be eliminated via secretion in large extracellular vesicles when internal lysosomal degradation is compromised.
- Wenjing Liang
- , Shakti Sagar
- & Åsa B. Gustafsson
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| Open Access
IRX2 regulates angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis by transcriptionally activating EGR1 in male mice
Cardiac fibrosis is a common feature of chronic heart failure, and the mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis are unclear. Here, the authors show that iroquois homeobox 2 (IRX2) regulates the early growth response factor 1 (EGR1) pathway upon fibrotic stimulation and drives cardiac fibrosis.
- Zhen-Guo Ma
- , Yu-Pei Yuan
- & Qi-Zhu Tang
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| Open Access
MTH1 protects platelet mitochondria from oxidative damage and regulates platelet function and thrombosis
MTH1 hydrolyzes oxidized nucleotides to prevent their mis-incorporation into DNA under oxidative stress. Here, the authors show that MTH1 is expressed in platelets and its deficiency increases mitochondrial DNA oxidative damage, impairs platelet function and hemostasis.
- Yangyang Ding
- , Xiang Gui
- & Jianlin Qiao
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| Open Access
Cardiomyocyte proliferation is suppressed by ARID1A-mediated YAP inhibition during cardiac maturation
Cardiac regeneration is hindered by the limited division of cardiomyocytes. Here, the authors show that Arid1a drives maturation and limits proliferation through interaction with Yap. Suppression of Arid1a enhances proliferation after injury.
- Cornelis J. Boogerd
- , Ilaria Perini
- & Eva van Rooij
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| Open Access
A flexible optoacoustic blood ‘stethoscope’ for noninvasive multiparametric cardiovascular monitoring
Cardiovascular disease diagnosis can be invasive and complex. Here, the authors present a flexible optoacoustic blood ‘stethoscope’ that noninvasively and continuously monitors cardiovascular health.
- Haoran Jin
- , Zesheng Zheng
- & Yuanjin Zheng
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| Open Access
Non-invasive electromechanical assessment during atrial fibrillation identifies underlying atrial myopathy alterations with early prognostic value
Electromechanical characterization during atrial fibrillation (AF) remains a significant gap in the understanding of AF-related atrial myopathy. Here, the authors use non-invasive atrial electromechanical assessment during AF to identify early remodeling changes associated with underlying myopathy, which in the clinic decrease the probability of acute and mid-term successful rhythm control.
- Daniel Enríquez-Vázquez
- , Jorge G. Quintanilla
- & David Filgueiras-Rama
Statins improve cardiac endothelial function to prevent heart failure with preserved ejection fraction through upregulating circRNA-RBCK1