1,721,005 research outputs found
Tissue factor A-603G genotype associates with carotid intima-media thickness in subjects undergoing cardiovascular risk prevention
No full textTissue factor (TF), key initiator of coagulation, is also ascribed a non-haemostatic function in inflammation, cell migration and proliferation, suggesting a role of TF not only in thrombosis but also in atherosclerosis development. Polymorphisms in the TF gene promoter have been shown to modulate the expression of TF, and thereby potentially also its involvement in atherosclerosis and individual predisposition to atherosclerotic disease. Hence, this study was aimed at investigating associations between TF promoter polymorphisms and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a well-established surrogate marker of atherosclerotic disease.
To this end, the TF A-603G polymorphism was analyzed in 316 subjects enrolled in a primary and secondary cardiovascular risk prevention programme, with measurements of carotid IMT by 8-mode ultrasound. Also, the TF lns-1208Del polymorphism was investigated in a limited number of subjects, which confirmed the previously reported complete concordance between the -603A and -1208Del alleles. The subjects were aged 60.2±8.4 years, 80% were male, and 78% were undergoing secondary prevention with a history of coronary, cerebrovascular, or peripheral atherosclerotic disease.
Both mean and maximum carotid IMT (measured at the common carotid artery, carotid bifurcation, and internal carotid artery) differed significantly according to A-603G genotype, being highest in -603A/A (n=93), intermediate in A/G (n=161) and lowest in G/G (n=62) (mean IMT: A/A 1.31±0.36mm, A/G 1.27±0.33mm, G/G 1.19±0.32mm; max IMT: A/A 2.36±0.88mm, A/G 2.26±0.85mm, 2.05±0.88mm; both p<0.05; adjusted far age, gender, and statin treatment).
In summary, a significant association between TF promoter genotype and carotid IMT was observed, perhaps mediated via alterations of TF expression levels in the circulation or within the carotid vessel wall. These findings support the hypothesis that TF plays a ro le in the atherosclerotic process, beyond its well-known role in haemostasis and thrombosis, thus further implicating TF not only in thrombotic complications of atherosclerotic disease, but al so in plaque progression
Tissue factor A-603G genotype associates with carotid intima-media thickness in subjects undergoing cardiovascular risk prevention
Full text linkTissue factor (TF), key initiator of coagulation, is also ascribed a non-haemostatic
function in inflammation, cell migration and proliferation,
suggesting a role of TF not only in thrombosis but also in atherosclerosis
development. Polymorphisms in the TF gene promoter have been
shown to modulate the expression of TF, and thereby potentially also its
involvement in atherosclerosis and individual predisposition to atherosclerotic
disease. Hence, this study was aimed at investigating associations
between TF promoter polymorphisms and carotid intima-media
thickness (IMT), a well-established surrogate marker of atherosclerotic
disease. To this end, the TF A-603G polymorphism was analyzed in 316
subjects enrolled in a primary and secondary cardiovascular risk prevention
programme, with measurements of carotid IMT by B-mode ultrasound.
Also, the TF Ins-1208Del polymorphism was investigated in a
limited number of subjects, which confirmed the previously reported
complete concordance between the -603A and -1208Del alleles. The
subjects were aged 60.2±8.4 years, 80% were male, and 78% were
undergoing secondary prevention with a history of coronary, cerebrovascular,
or peripheral atherosclerotic disease. Both mean and maximum
carotid IMT (measured at the common carotid artery, carotid bifurcation,
and internal carotid artery) differed significantly according to A-603G
genotype, being highest in -603N A (n=93), intermediate in NG (n=161)
and lowest in G/G (n=62) (mean IMT: A/A 1.31±0.36 mm, NG
1.27±0.33 mm, G/G 1.19±0.32 mm; max IMT: A/A 2.36±0.88 mm, NG
2.26±0.85 mm, 2.05±0.88 mm; both p<0.05; adjusted for age, gender, and
statin treatment). In summary, a significant association between TF promoter
genotype and carotid IMT was observed, perhaps mediated via
alterations of TF expression levels in the circulation or within the carotid
vessel wall. These findings support the hypothesis that TF plays a role
in the atherosclerotic process, beyond its well-known role in haemostasis
and thrombosis, thus further implicating TF not only in thrombotic
complications of atherosclerotic disease, but also in plaque progression
Correlation between plasma lipoprotein(a) levels and intimal medial thicness of common carotid arteries
No full textPrevious studies by our group have shown that in hypercholesterolemic patients mean intimal-medial complex of common carotid arteries (CC-IMT) as well as the prevalence of small plaques in the carotid arterial tree were increased with respect to normocholesterolemics. Recently, a number of clinical and epidemiological studies have suggested that the prevalence of elevated plasma Lp(a) levels may be considered an independent risk factor for vascular disease in different districts. In this study the association between elevated Lp(a) levels and changes in CC-IMT was investigated. To this end, 40 patients with diagnosis of hyperlipoproteinemia (18 type Ha, 13 type lIb and 9 type IV) were selected in our Lipid Clinic. Plasma lipid and lipoprotein values were determined by standardized techniques. B-mode ultrasound interrogation was performed with a Bio-Sound 2000 II. For each patient, average intimal-medial thickness (CC-IMT) was determined. The results indicate that CC-IMT values significantly correlate with plasma Lp(a) levels (r=0.35 , p30 mg/dl. It is concluded that, Lp(a) may be considered an additional risk factor that affects the thickness of common carotid arteries in hyperlipoproteinemic patients
The metabolic syndrome does not add to carotid atherosclerosis beyond that expected by risk factor counting or risk scoring
No full textObjective: The aim of this study was to assess if the Metabolic Syndrome (MS) has any add-on effect on subclinical atherosclerosis beyond that expected by risk factors (RF) counting or risk scoring.
Methods: Intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid arteries was assessed by using B-mode ultrasound in 1805 patients (56±13 y; 52% women) attending a cardiovascular prevention program. Patients with (cases) or without (controls) MS according to NCEP ATP III criteria were 1:1 matched for sex, age and either the number of conventional RF (Analysis 1) or the Framingham risk score (Analysis 2). For Analysis 1 not more than 2 components of the MS were accepted as RF in the control group.
Results: Case:control matches were 211 for Analysis 1 and 244 for Analysis 2. No significant differences in carotid IMTmean and carotid IMTmax were found between cases and controls in both analyses (Analysis 1: IMTmean 1.030.38 vs 1.070.37; IMTmax 1.900.96 vs 1.950.90. cases and controls, respectively; Analysis 2: IMTmean 1.030.36 vs 1.010.33; IMTmax 1.910.94 vs 1.830.81, cases and controls, respectively; all p>0.1).
Conclusions: According to our results the metabolic syndrome does not add to the extent of carotid subclinical atherosclerosis beyond that expected by RF counting or risk scoring. These findings do not support any particular armful synergism between components of metabolic syndrome in determining carotid atherosclerosis
Different acute phase response to a standardized stimulus in patients with history of stable or unstable coronary heart disease
No full textThe basis of the relationship between inflammation and atherosclerosis are not fully understood. We speculated that the characteristics of the innate immune response may influence the development and expression of CHD. Thus, we compared the C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) responses to a standardized inflammatory stimulus in patients with history of stable or unstable CHD
Methods: Adjuvanted influenza subcutaneous vaccination (lnflexal v®) was given to 60 adult male non-diabetic and non-current smoker patients with quiescent CHD and well controlled cardiovascular (CV) risk factors who had presented at onset of CHD as silent or inducible ischemia (group 1, n=26) or as acute coronary syndromes (group 2; n=34 ). CRP and SAA were determined by ELISA on plasma samples collected at baseline and 48 hours after vaccination, according to the results of a pilot time-course study performed in 5 healthy subjects.
Results: The patients were immunocompetent and free of inflammatory conditions. Both groups were similar at baseline in terms of risk factor control, use of CV drugs including aspirin (1 00%) and statins (90%), and median [25-75th perc] CRP and SAA levels. Vaccination significantly augmented CRP in both groups (group 1: 0.47 [0.21-0.86] to 0.56 [0.32-1.17] μg/ml, p=0.005; group 2: 0.64 [0.21-1.09] to 0.75 [0.33-1.48] μg/ml, p=0.003), without significant differences between groups in terms of absolute or percent changes. Conversely, SAA did not change after vaccination in group 1 (14.4 [8.9-19.5] to 14.8 [10.3- 18.8] μg/ml , p=0.88) whereas it augmented significantly in group 2 (16.9 [1 0.0-21.5] to 19.2 [11.3-29.1] μg/ml , p=0.002), with significant differences between groups in terms of absolute and percent changes (p=0.015 and 0.019, respectively). Use of statins significantly interacted with changes induced by vaccination in CRP levels (p=0.05) but not in SAA levels (p=0.47).
Conclusion: CHD patients with a history of stable or unstable disease respond differently to a defined standardized inflammatory stimulus (influenza vaccination) in terms of SAA changes, suggesting that individual features of the innate immune response may influence the clinical expression of CHD, presumably by determining attributes of atherosclerotic lesions. Lack of significant differences in terms of CRP changes may be related to interference by statins
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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