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Archive for the ‘Regenerative Biology and Medicine’ Category

Introduction to e-Series A: Cardiovascular Diseases, Volume Four Part 2: Regenerative Medicine

Introduction to e-Series A: Cardiovascular Diseases, Volume Four Part 2: Regenerative Medicine

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP

and

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

This document is entirely devoted to medical and surgical therapies that have made huge strides in

  • simplification of interventional procedures,
  • reduced complexity, resulting in procedures previously requiring surgery are now done, circumstances permitting, by medical intervention.

This revolution in cardiovascular interventional therapy is regenerative medicine.  It is regenerative because it is largely driven by

  • the introduction into the impaired vasculature of an induced pleuripotent cell, called a stem cell, although
  • the level of differentiation may not be a most primitive cell line.

There is also a very closely aligned development in cell biology that extends beyond and including vascular regeneration that is called synthetic biology.  These developments have occurred at an accelerated rate in the last 15 years. The methods of interventional cardiology were already well developed in the mid 1980s.  This was at the peak of cardiothoracic bypass surgery.

Research on the endothelial cell,

  • endothelial cell proliferation,
  • shear flow in small arteries, especially at branch points, and
  • endothelial-platelet interactions

led to insights about plaque formation and vessel thrombosis.

Much was learned in biomechanics about the shear flow stresses on the luminal surface of the vasculature, and there was also

  • the concomitant discovery of nitric oxide,
  • oxidative stress, and
  • the isoenzymes of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS, iNOS, and nNOS).

It became a fundamental tenet of vascular biology that

  • atherogenesis is a maladjustment to oxidative stress not only through genetic, but also
  • non-genetic nutritional factors that could be related to the balance of omega (ω)-3 and omega (ω)-6 fatty acids,
  • a pro-inflammatory state that elicits inflammatory cytokines, such as, interleukin-6 (IL6) and c-reactive protein(CRP),
  • insulin resistance with excess carbohydrate associated with type 2 diabetes and beta (β) cell stress,
  • excess trans- and saturated fats, and perhaps
  • the now plausible colonic microbial population of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).

There is also an association of abdominal adiposity,

  • including the visceral peritoneum, with both T2DM and with arteriosclerotic vessel disease,
  • which is presenting at a young age, and has ties to
  • the effects of an adipokine, adiponectin.

Much important work has already been discussed in the domain of cardiac catheterization and research done to

  • prevent atheroembolization.and beyond that,
  • research done to implant an endothelial growth matrix.

Even then, dramatic work had already been done on

  • the platelet structure and metabolism, and
  • this has transformed our knowledge of platelet biology.

The coagulation process has been discussed in detailed in a previous document.  The result was the development of a

  • new class of platelet aggregation inhibitors designed to block the activation of protein on the platelet surface that
  • is critical in the coagulation cascade.

In addition, the term long used to describe atherosclerosis, atheroma notwithstanding, is “hardening of the arteries”.  This is particularly notable with respect to mid-size arteries and arterioles that feed the heart and kidneys. Whether it is preceded by or develops concurrently with chronic renal insufficiency and lowered glomerular filtration rate is perhaps arguable.  However, there is now a body of evidence that points to

  • a change in the vascular muscularis and vessel stiffness, in addition to the endothelial features already mentioned.

This has provided a basis for

  • targeted pharmaceutical intervention, and
  • reduction in salt intake.

So we have a  group of metabolic disorders, which may alone or in combination,

  • lead to and be associated with the long term effects of cardiovascular disease, including
  • congestive heart failure.

This has been classically broken down into forward and backward failure,

  • depending on decrease outflow through the aorta (ejection fraction), or
  • decreased venous return through the vena cava,

which involves increased pulmonary vascular resistance and decreased return into the left atrium.

This also has ties to several causes, which may be cardiac or vascular. This document, as the previous, has four pats.  They are broadly:

  1. Stem Cells in Cardiovascular Diseases
  2. Regenerative Cell and Molecular Biology
  3. Therapeutics Levels In Molecular Cardiology
  4. Research Proposals for Endogenous Augmentation of circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells (cEPCs)

As in the previous section, we start with the biology of the stem cell and the degeneration in cardiovascular diseases, then proceed to regeneration, then therapeutics, and finally – proposals for augmenting therapy with circulating endogenous endothelial progenitor cells (cEPCs).

 

context

stem cells

 

theme

regeneration

 

 

 

 

theme

Therapeutics

 

theme

augmentation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key pathways involving NO

Key pathways involving NO

 

 

 

 

stem cell lin28

stem cellLlin28

1479-5876-10-175-1-l  translational research with feedback loops

Tranlational Research -Lab to Bedside

 

 

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Introduction to Translational Medicine (TM) – Part 1: Translational Medicine

Introduction to Translational Medicine (TM) – Part 1: Translational Medicine

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP

and

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

Article ID #134: Introduction to Translational Medicine (TM) – Part 1: Translational Medicine. Published on 4/25/2014

WordCloud Image Produced by Adam Tubman

 

This document in the Series A: Cardiovascular Diseases e-Series Volume 4: Translational and Regenerative Medicine,  is a measure of the postgenomic and proteomic advances in the laboratory to the practice of clinical medicine.  The Chapters are preceded by several videos by prominent figures in the emergence of this transformative change.  When I was a medical student, a large body of the current language and technology that has extended the practice of medicine did not exist, but a new foundation, predicated on the principles of modern medical education set forth by Abraham Flexner, was sprouting.  The highlights of this evolution were:

  • Requirement for premedical education in biology, organic chemistry, physics, and genetics.
  • Medical education included two years of basic science education in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and pathology prior to introduction into the clinical course sequence of the last two years.
  • Post medical graduate education was an internship year followed by residency in pediatrics, OBGyn, internal medicine, general surgery, psychiatry, neurology, neurosurgery, pathology, radiology, and anesthesiology, emergency medicine.
  • Academic teaching centers were developing subspecialty centers in ophthalmology, ENT and head and neck surgery, cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, and hematology, hematology/oncology, and neurology.
  • The expansion of postgraduate medical programs included significant postgraduate funding for programs by the National Institutes of Health, and the NIH had faculty development support in a system of peer-reviewed research grant programs in medical and allied sciences.

The period after the late 1980s saw a rapid expansion of research in genomics and drug development to treat emerging threats of infectious diseases as US had a large worldwide involvement after the end of the Vietnam War, and drug resistance was increasingly encountered (malaria, tick borne diseases, salmonellosis, pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococcus aureus, etc.).

Moreover, the post-millenium found a large, dwindling population of veterans who had served in WWII and Vietnam, and cardiovascular, musculoskeletal,  dementias, and cancer were now more common.  The Human Genome Project was undertaken to realign the existing knowledge of gene structure and genetic regulation with the needs for drug development, which was languishing in development failures due to unexpected toxicities.

A substantial disconnect existed between diagnostics and pharmaceutical development, which had been over-reliant on modification of known organic structures to increase potency and reduce toxicity.  This was about to change with changes in medical curricula, changes in residency programs and physicians cross-training in disciplines, and the emergence of bio-pharma, based on the emerging knowledge of the cell function, and at the same time, the medical profession was developing an evidence-base for therapeutics, and more pressure was placed on informed decision-making.

The great improvement in proteomics came from GCLC/MS-MS and is described in the video interview with Dr. Gyorgy Marko-Varga, Sweden, in video 1 of 3 (Advancing Translational Medicine).  This is a discussion that is focused on functional proteomics role in future diagnostics and therapy, involving a greater degree of accuracy in mass spectrometry (MS) than can be obtained by antibody-ligand binding, and is illustrated below, the last emphasizing the importance of information technology and predictive analytics

Thermo ScientificImmunoassays and LC–MS/MS have emerged as the two main approaches for quantifying peptides and proteins in biological samples. ELISA kits are available for quantification, but inherently lack the discriminative power to resolve isoforms and PTMs.

To address this issue we have developed and applied a mass spectrometry immunoassay–selected reaction monitoring (Thermo Scientific™ MSIA™ SRM technology) research method to quantify PCSK9 (and PTMs), a key player in the regulation of circulating low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).

A Day in the (Future) Life of a Predictive Analytics Scientist

 

By Lars Rinnan, CEO, NextBridge   April 22, 2014

A look into a normal day in the near future, where predictive analytics is everywhere, incorporated in everything from household appliances to wearable computing devices.

During the test drive (of an automobile), the extreme acceleration makes your heart beat so fast that your personal health data sensor triggers an alarm. The health data sensor is integrated into the strap of your wrist watch. This data is transferred to your health insurance company, so you say a prayer that their data scientists are clever enough to exclude these abnormal values from your otherwise impressive health data. Based on such data, your health insurance company’s consulting unit regularly gives you advice about diet, exercise, and sleep. You have followed their advice in the past, and your performance has increased, which automatically reduced your insurance premiums. Win-win, you think to yourself, as you park the car, and decide to buy it.

In the clinical presentation at Harlan Krumholtz’ Yale Symposium, Prof. Robert Califf, Director of the Duke University Translational medicine Clinical Research Institute, defines translational medicine as effective translation of science to clinical medicine in two segments:

  1. Adherence to current standards
  2. Improving the enterprise by translating knowledge

He says that discrepancies between outcomes and medical science will bridge a gap in translation by traversing two parallel systems.

  1. Physician-health organization
  2. Personalized medicine

He emphasizes that the new basis for physician standards will be legitimized in the following:

  1. Comparative effectiveness (Krumholtz)
  2. Accountability

Some of these points are repeated below:

WATCH VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFdJRh9ZPps#t=678  Harlan Krumholtz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFdJRh9ZPps#t=678  complexity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFdJRh9ZPps#t=678  integration map

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFdJRh9ZPps#t=678  progression

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFdJRh9ZPps#t=678  informatics

An interesting sidebar to the scientific medical advances is the huge shift in pressure on an insurance system that has coexisted with a public system in Medicare and Medicaid, initially introduced by the health insurance industry for worker benefits (Kaiser, IBM, Rockefeller), and we are undertaking a formidable change in the ACA.

The current reality is that actuarially, the twin system that has existed was unsustainable in the long term because it is necessary to have a very large pool of the population to spread the costs, and in addition, the cost of pharmaceutical development has driven consolidation in the industry, and has relied on the successes from public and privately funded research.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6J_7PvWoMw#t=57  Corbett Report Nov 2013

(1979 ER Brown)  UCPress  Rockefeller Medicine Men

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6J_7PvWoMw#t=57   Liz Fowler VP of Wellpoint (designed ACA)

I shall digress for a moment and insert a video history of DNA, that hits the high points very well, and is quite explanatory of the genomic revolution in medical science, biology, infectious disease and microbial antibiotic resistance, virology, stem cell biology, and the undeniability of evolution.

DNA History

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUDzN4w8mKI&list=UUoHRSQ0ahscV14hlmPabkVQ

As I have noted above, genomics is necessary, but not sufficient.  The story began as replication of the genetic code, which accounted for variation, but the accounting for regulation of the cell and for metabolic processes was, and remains in the domain of an essential library of proteins. Moreover, the functional activity of proteins, at least but not only if they are catalytic, shows structural variants that is characterized by small differences in some amino acids that allow for separation by net charge and have an effect on protein-protein and other interactions.

Protein chemistry is so different from DNA chemistry that it is quite safe to consider that DNA in the nucleotide sequence does no more than establish the order of amino acids in proteins. On the other hand, proteins that we know so little about their function and regulation, do everything that matters including to set what and when to read something in the DNA.

Jose Eduardo de Salles Roselino

Chapters 2, 3, and 4 sequentially examine:

  • The causes and etiologies of cardiovascular diseases
  • The diagnosis, prognosis and risks determined by – biomarkers in serum, circulating cells, and solid tissue by contrast radiography
  • Treatment of cardiovascular diseases by translation of science from bench to bedside, including interventional cardiology and surgical repair

These are systematically examined within a framework of:

  • Genomics
  • Proteomics
  • Cardiac and Vascular Signaling
  • Platelet and Endothelial Signaling
  • Cell-protein interactions
  • Protein-protein interactions
  • Post-Translational Modifications (PTMs)
  • Epigenetics
  • Noncoding RNAs and regulatory considerations
  • Metabolomics (the metabolome)
  • Mitochondria and oxidative stress

 

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Cardiovascular Diseases and Pharmacological Therapy: Curations by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Cardiovascular Diseases and Pharmacological Therapy: Curations by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN, 2006 – 4/2018

 

+120 articles listed below cover the following topics:

  • National Trends: Cardiovascular-related Hospital stay, Cost of Treatment & Societal Burden
  • Introduction to Drug Types: De Novo Brand, Generic, Biologics, Biosimsilars
  • Anti-Inflammatory & Systemic Inflammatory
  • Anti-thrombotic Drug Class & Novel Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs)
  • Pharmaco-Genetics response to Congenital and Spontaneous Mutations: new drugs and new biomarkers for Atherosclerosis, Genetic-related Novel Anti-Cholesterol, Lipids, LDL, HDL, Hypertriglyceridemia Hyperlipidemia
  • Epigenetics, Gender differences and Life Style: DM, Obesity, Hormonal Markers, Diets, Chrono-therapeutics
  • BP Management: Genetics & Human Adaptive Immunity
  • Anti-arrhythmic Drugs – Atrial Fibrillation (AF) & Silent Cerebral Infarctions
  • MI, Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and Heart Failure (HF)
  • Calcium &Cardiovascular Diseases: Contractile Dysfunction, Calcium as Neurotransmitter Sensor
  • Regeneration: Cardiac System (cardiomyogenesis) and Vasculature (angiogenesis)
  • Vascular Biology, Atherosclerosis and Molecular Cardiology

 

A new mechanism of action to attack in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD), Novartis developed Ilaris (canakinumab), a human monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-1beta innate immunity pathway

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/04/06/a-new-mechanism-of-action-to-attack-in-the-treatment-of-coronary-artery-disease-cad-novartis-developed-ilaris-canakinumab-a-human-monoclonal-antibody-targeting-the-interleukin-1beta-innate-i/

 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Novel Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/03/20/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-novel-oral-anticoagulants-noacs/

 

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS): Strategies in Anticoagulant Selection: Diagnostics Approaches – Genetic Testing Aids vs. Biomarkers (Troponin types and BNP)

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/03/13/acute-coronary-syndrome-acs-strategies-in-anticoagulant-selection-diagnostics-approaches-genetic-testing-aids-vs-biomarkers-troponin-types-and-bnp/

 

Cholesterol Lowering Novel PCSK9 drugs: Praluent [Sanofi and Regeneron] vs Repatha [Amgen] – which drug cuts CV risks enough to make it cost-effective?

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/03/12/cholesterol-lowering-novel-pcsk9-drugs-praluent-sanofi-and-regeneron-vs-repatha-amgen-which-drug-cuts-cv-risks-enough-to-make-it-cost-effective/

 

Higher BMI (Obesity Marker): Earlier onset of incident CVD followed by Shorter overall Survival – Men and women of all ages

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/03/05/higher-bmi-obesity-marker-earlier-onset-of-incident-cvd-followed-by-shorter-overall-survival-men-and-women-of-all-ages/

 

ODYSSEY Outcomes trial evaluating the effects of a PCSK9 inhibitor, alirocumab, on major cardiovascular events in patients with an acute coronary syndrome to be presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting on March 10.

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/02/28/odyssey-outcomes-trial-evaluating-the-effects-of-a-pcsk9-inhibitor-alirocumab-on-major-cardiovascular-events-in-patients-with-an-acute-coronary-syndrome-to-be-presented-at-the-america/

 

Sex and Gender Connections: Heart and Brain Disease in Women

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/02/28/sex-and-gender-connections-heart-and-brain-disease-in-women/

 

In 2018 Cardiovascular PharmacoTherapy Market: Anti-thrombotic Drug Class Segment will continue to bring in the biggest profit and dominate production

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/02/27/in-2018-cardiovascular-pharmacotherapy-market-anti-thrombotic-drug-class-segment-will-continue-to-bring-in-the-biggest-profit-and-dominate-production/

 

Cost per Inpatient Hospital Stay: Five cardiovascular issues ranked in the top 10 – #1 Heart valve disorders, #2 Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), #4 Coronary atherosclerosis, #7 Septicemia, #10 Acute cerebrovascular disease

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/02/27/cost-per-inpatient-hospital-stay-five-cardiovascular-issues-ranked-in-the-top-10-1-heart-valve-disorders-2-acute-myocardial-infarction-heart-attack-4-coronary-atherosclerosis/

 

There may be a genetic basis to CAD and that CXCL5 may be of therapeutic interest

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/02/09/there-may-be-a-genetic-basis-to-cad-and-that-cxcl5-may-be-of-therapeutic-interest/

 

FDA Approval marks first presentation of bivalirudin in frozen, premixed, ready-to-use formulation

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/01/24/fda-approval-marks-first-presentation-of-bivalirudin-in-frozen-premixed-ready-to-use-formulation/

 

What Level of Blood Pressure (BP) should be Treated? Comments on the New Guidelines

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2018/01/24/what-level-of-blood-pressure-bp-should-be-treated-comments-on-the-new-guidelines/

 

FDA approval on 12/1/2017 of Amgen’s evolocumb (Repatha) a PCSK9 inhibitor for the prevention of heart attacks, strokes, and coronary revascularizations in patients with established cardiovascular disease

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/12/01/fda-approval-on-12-1-2017-of-amgens-evolocumb-repatha-a-pcsk9-inhibitor-for-the-prevention-of-heart-attacks-strokes-and-coronary-revascularizations-in-patients-with-established-cardiovascular-di/

 

Long-term Canakinumab Treatment Lowering Inflammation Independent of Lipid Levels for Residual Inflammatory Risk Benefit – Personalized Medicine for Recurrent MI, Strokes and Cardiovascular Death

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/11/21/long-term-canakinumab-treatment-lowering-inflammation-independent-of-lipid-levels-for-residual-inflammatory-risk-benefit-personalized-medicine-for-recurrent-mi-strokes-and-cardiovascular-death/

 

Daily Highlights at 2017 American Heart Association Annual Meeting Scientific Sessions

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/11/14/daily-highlights-at-2017-american-heart-association-annual-meeting-scientific-sessions/

 

2017 Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults – A REPORT OF THE American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/11/14/2017-guideline-for-the-prevention-detection-evaluation-and-management-of-high-blood-pressure-in-adults-a-report-of-the-american-college-of-cardiology-american-heart-association-task-force-on-clin/

 

2017 American Heart Association Annual Meeting: Sunday’s Science at #AHA17 – Presidential Address

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/11/13/2017-american-heart-association-annual-meeting-sundays-science-at-aha17-presidential-address/

 

Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as Crohn’s disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Longer Psoriasis Duration May Mean Higher CVD Risk

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/10/09/systemic-inflammatory-diseases-as-crohns-disease-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-longer-psoriasis-duration-may-mean-higher-cvd-risk/

 

Shaun Coughlin from UCSF Cardiovascular Research Center to cardio group for the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, MA

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/08/17/shaun-coughlin-from-ucsf-cardiovascular-research-center-to-cardio-group-for-the-novartis-institute-for-biomedical-research-in-cambridge-ma/

 

In Europe, BigData@Heart aim to improve patient outcomes and reduce societal burden of atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/07/10/in-europe-bigdataheart-aim-to-improve-patient-outcomes-and-reduce-societal-burden-of-atrial-fibrillation-af-heart-failure-hf-and-acute-coronary-syndrome-acs/

 

SNP-based Study on high BMI exposure confirms CVD and DM Risks – no associations with Stroke

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/07/10/snp-based-study-on-high-bmi-exposure-confirms-cvd-and-dm-risks-no-associations-with-stroke/

 

Tweets by @pharma_BI and @AVIVA1950 at World Medical Innovation Forum – CARDIOVASCULAR • MAY 1-3, 2017, BOSTON, MA

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/05/05/tweets-by-pharma_bi-and-aviva1950-at-world-medical-innovation-forum-cardiovascular-%E2%80%A2-may-1-3-2017-boston-ma/

 

e-Proceedings for Day 1,2,3: World Medical Innovation Forum – CARDIOVASCULAR • MAY 1-3, 2017, BOSTON, MA

Curator and Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/05/05/e-proceedings-for-day-123-world-medical-innovation-forum-cardiovascular-%E2%80%A2-may-1-3-2017-boston-ma/

REAL TIME Highlights and Tweets: Day 1,2,3: World Medical Innovation Forum – CARDIOVASCULAR • MAY 1-3, 2017, BOSTON, MA

Author and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/05/03/deliverables-day-123-world-medical-innovation-forum-cardiovascular-%E2%80%A2-may-1-3-2017-boston-ma-httpsworldmedicalinnovation-orgagenda-highlights-of-live-day-1-world-medical/

 

Expedite Use of Agents in Clinical Trials: New Drug Formulary Created – The NCI Formulary is a public-private partnership between NCI, part of the National Institutes of Health, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2017/01/12/expedite-use-of-agents-in-clinical-trials-new-drug-formulary-created-the-nci-formulary-is-a-public-private-partnership-between-nci-part-of-the-national-institutes-of-health-and-pharmaceutical-and/

 

Reversing Heart Disease: Combination of PCSK9 Inhibitors and Statins – Opinion by Steven Nissen, MD, Chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/12/29/reversing-heart-disease-combination-of-pcsk9-inhibitors-and-statins-opinion-by-steven-nissen-md-chairman-of-cardiovascular-medicine-at-cleveland-clinicopinion-on-reversing-heart-disease-combinat/

 

Coronary Heart Disease Research: Sugar Industry influenced national conversation on heart disease – Adoption of Low Fat Diet vs Low Carbohydrates Diet

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/09/17/coronary-heart-disease-research-sugar-industry-influenced-national-conversation-on-heart-disease-adoption-of-low-fat-diet-vs-low-carbohydrates-diet/

 

Pathophysiology in Hypertension: Opposing Roles of Human Adaptive Immunity

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/08/19/pathophysiology-in-hypertension-opposing-roles-of-human-adaptive-immunity/

 

PCSK9 inhibitors: Reducing annual drug prices from more than $14 000 to $4536 would be necessary to meet a $100 000 per QALY threshold per JAMA

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/08/17/pcsk9-inhibitors-reducing-annual-drug-prices-from-more-than-14%E2%80%AF000-to-4536-would-be-necessary-to-meet-a-100%E2%80%AF000-per-qaly-threshold-per-jama/

 

The presence of any Valvular Heart Disease (VHD) did not influence the comparison of Dabigatran [Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim] with Warfarin

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/08/16/the-presence-of-any-valvular-heart-disease-vhd-did-not-influence-the-comparison-of-dabigatran-pradaxa-boehringer-ingelheim-with-warfarin/

 

Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine presented since 2003 presented for its potential to lower risk for cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration by increasing cell survival and slowing aging: 2014 Study – Diet rich in resveratrol offers no health boost

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/07/25/resveratrol-an-antioxidant-found-in-red-wine-2014-study-resveratrol-offers-no-health-boost/

 

Amgen’s Corlanor® can help Reduce the Risk of Hospitalization for Patients with worsening Heart Failure

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/05/04/amgens-corlanor-can-help-reduce-the-risk-of-hospitalization-for-patients-with-worsening-heart-failure/

 

Effectiveness of Anti-arrhythmic Drugs: Amiodarone and Lidocaine, for treating sudden cardiac arrest, increasing likelihood of Patients Surviving Emergency Transport to Hospital

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/04/04/effectiveness-of-anti-arrhythmic-drugs-amiodarone-and-lidocaine-for-treating-sudden-cardiac-arrest-increasing-likelihood-of-patients-surviving-emergency-transport-to-hospital/

 

Efficacy and Tolerability of PCSK9 Inhibitors by Patients with Muscle-related Statin Intolerance – New Cleveland Clinic study published in JAMA 4/2016

Curators: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/04/03/efficacy-and-tolerability-of-pcsk9-inhibitors-by-patients-with-muscle-related-statin-intolerance-new-cleveland-clinic-study-published-in-jama-42016/

 

Triglycerides: Is it a Risk Factor or a Risk Marker for Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Disease ? The Impact of Genetic Mutations on (ANGPTL4) Gene, encoder of (angiopoietin-like 4) Protein, inhibitor of Lipoprotein Lipase

Reporters, Curators and Authors: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN and Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/03/13/triglycerides-is-it-a-risk-factor-or-a-risk-marker-for-atherosclerosis-and-cardiovascular-disease-the-impact-of-genetic-mutations-on-angptl4-gene-encoder-of-angiopoietin-like-4-protein-that-in/

 

In One-Hour: A Diagnosis of Heart Attack made possible by one Blood Test

Reporter: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/01/14/in-one-hour-a-diagnosis-of-heart-attack-made-possible-by-one-blood-test/

 

Heart-Failure–Related Mortality Rate: CDC Reports comparison of 2000, 2012, 2014  – the decease is steadily reversed

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2016/01/05/heart-failure-related-mortality-rate-cdc-reports-comparison-of-2000-2012-2014-the-decease-is-steadily-reversed/

 

PCSK9: A Recent Discovery in Understanding Cholesterol Regulation @ AMGEN Cardiovascular

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/08/04/pcsk9-a-recent-discovery-in-understanding-cholesterol-regulation-amgen-cardiovascular/

 

Praluent – FDA approved as Cholesterol-lowering Medicine for Patient non responsive to Statin due to Genetic origin of Hypercholesterolemia

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/07/27/praluent-fda-approved-as-cholesterol-lowering-medicine-for-patient-non-responsive-to-statin-due-to-genetic-origin-of-hypercholesterolemia/

 

Atherosclerosis: What is New in Biomarker Discovery

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/07/01/atherosclerosis-what-is-new-in-biomarker-discovery/

 

Cangrelor wins Clopidogrel (Plavix): reduction of Risk of a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, ischemia driven revascularization, and stent thrombosis

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/04/16/cangrelor-wins-clopidogrel-plavix-reduction-of-risk-of-a-composite-of-all-cause-mortality-myocardial-infarction-ischemia-driven-revascularization-and-stent-thrombosis/

 

Sets of co-expressed Genes influence Blood Pressure Regulation: Genome-wide Association and mRNA expression @US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2015/04/16/sets-of-co-expressed-genes-influence-blood-pressure-regulation-genome-wide-association-and-mrna-expression-us-national-heart-lung-and-blood-institute/

 

HDL-C: Target of Therapy – Steven E. Nissen, MD, MACC, Cleveland Clinic vs Peter Libby, MD, BWH

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/11/07/hdl-c-target-of-therapy-steven-e-nissen-md-macc-cleveland-clinic-vs-peter-libby-md-bwh/

 

Atrial Fibrillation and Silent Cerebral Infarctions: A Meta Analysis Study and Literature Review

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/11/04/atrial-fibrillation-and-silent-cerebral-infarctions-a-meta-analysis-study-and-literature-review/

 

Intracranial Vascular Stenosis: Comparison of Clinical Trials: Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty and Stenting (PTAS) vs. Clot-inhibiting Drugs: Aspirin and Clopidogrel (dual antiplatelet therapy) – more Strokes if Stenting

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/15/intracranial-vascular-stenosis-comparison-of-clinical-trials-percutaneous-transluminal-angioplasty-and-stenting-ptas-vs-clot-inhibiting-drugs-aspirin-and-clopidogrel-dual-antiplatelet-therapy/

 

Hypertension: It is Autoimmunity that Underlies its Development in Humans

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/08/hypertension-it-is-autoimmunity-that-underlies-its-development-in-humans/

 

OPINION LEADERSHIP on Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular Original Research: Cases in Methodology Design for Content Co-Curation

  • Cardiovascular Diseases, Volume Two: Cardiovascular Original Research: Cases in Methodology Design for Content Co-Curation. On Amazon.com since 11/30/2015

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018Q5MCN8

 Epilogue to Volume Two

Author and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN, Editor-in-Chief, BioMed e-Series of e-Books

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/07/31/opinion-leadership-on-cardiovascular-diseases/

 

Risk of Major Cardiovascular Events by LDL-Cholesterol Level (mg/dL): Among those treated with high-dose statin therapy, more than 40% of patients failed to achieve an LDL-cholesterol target of less than 70 mg/dL.

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/07/29/risk-of-major-cardiovascular-events-by-ldl-cholesterol-level-mgdl-among-those-treated-with-high-dose-statin-therapy-more-than-40-of-patients-failed-to-achieve-an-ldl-cholesterol-target-of-less-th/

 

Commentary on Biomarkers for Genetics and Genomics of Cardiovascular Disease: Views by Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP

Commissioned article, Author: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/07/16/commentary-on-biomarkers-for-genetics-and-genomics-of-cardiovascular-disease-views-by-larry-h-bernstein-md-fcap/

 

Coagulation Therapy: Leading New Drugs – Efficacy Comparison

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/05/10/coagulation-therapy-leading-new-drugs-efficacy-comparison/

 

Apixaban (Eliquis): Mechanism of Action, Drug Comparison and Additional Indications

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/05/10/apixaban-eliquis-mechanism-of-action-drug-comparison-and-additional-indications/

 

Boston Heart Diagnostics (BHD) offers Statin Induced Myopathy (SLCO1B1) Genotype test and genetic tests targeting ApoE, Factor V Leiden, prothrombin (Factor II), and CYP2C19

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/17/boston-heart-diagnostics-bhd-offers-statin-induced-myopathy-slco1b1-genotype-test-and-genetic-tests-targeting-apoe-factor-v-leiden-prothrombin-factor-ii-and-cyp2c19/

 

@@@ Cardiovascular Diseases and Pharmacological Therapy: Curations by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Curator: Aviva Leve-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/17/cardiovascular-diseases-and-pharmacological-therapy-curations-by-aviva-lev-ari-phd-rn/

 

Richard Lifton, MD, PhD of Yale University & Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Recipient of 2014 Breakthrough Prizes Awarded in Life Sciences for the Discovery of Genes and Biochemical Mechanisms that cause Hypertension

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/03/03/richard-lifton-md-phd-of-yale-university-and-howard-hughes-medical-institute-recipient-of-2014-breakthrough-prizes-awarded-in-life-sciences-for-the-discovery-of-genes-and-biochemical-mechanisms-tha/

 

Differences in Health Services Utilization and Costs between Antihypertensive Medication Users Versus Nonusers in Adults with Diabetes and Concomitant Hypertension from Medical Expenditure Panel Su…

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/28/differences-in-health-services-utilization-and-costs-between-antihypertensive-medication-users-versus-nonusers-in-adults-with-diabetes-and-concomitant-hypertension-from-medical-expenditure-panel-su-2/

 

2014 Epidemiology and Prevention, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism Conference: San Francisco, Ca. Conference Dates: San Francisco, CA 3/18-21, 2014

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/26/2014-epidemiology-and-prevention-nutrition-physical-activity-and-metabolism-conference-san-francisco-ca-conference-dates-san-francisco-ca-318-21-2014/

 

2014 High Blood Pressure Research Conference, 9/9 – 9/12, 2014 — Hilton SF Union Square, San Francisco, CA

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/24/2014-high-blood-pressure-research-conference-99-912-2014-hilton-sf-union-square-san-francisco-ca/

 

Females and Non-Atherosclerotic Plaque: Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection – New Insights from Research and DNA Ongoing Study

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/12/female-and-non-atherosclerotic-plaque-spontaneous-coronary-artery-dissection-new-insights-from-research-and-dna-ongoing-study/

 

Hypertension – JNC 8 Guideline: Henry R. Black, MD, Michael A. Weber, MD and Raymond R. Townsend, MD

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/12/hypertension-jnc-8-guideline-henry-r-black-md-michael-a-weber-md-and-raymond-r-townsend-md/

 

Why Don’t You Trust Generic Drugs as Much as Brand Name …

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/10/why-dont-you-trust-generic-drugs-as-much-as-brand-name/

 

National Trends, 2005 – 2011: Adverse-event Rates Declined among Patients Hospitalized for Acute Myocardial Infarction or Congestive Heart Failure

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/04/national-trends-2005-2011-adverse-event-rates-declined-among-patients-hospitalized-for-acute-myocardial-infarction-or-congestive-heart-failure/

 

Is Pharmacogenetic-based Dosing of Warfarin Superior for Anticoagulation Control?

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/04/is-pharmacogenetic-based-dosing-of-warfarin-superior-for-anticoagulation-control/

 

Prolonged Wakefulness: Lack of Sufficient Duration of Sleep as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Diseases – Indications for Cardiovascular Chrono-therapeutics

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/02/prolonged-wakefulness-lack-of-sufficient-duration-of-sleep-as-a-risk-factor-for-cardiovascular-diseases-indications-for-cardiovascular-chrono-therapeutics/

 

Testosterone Therapy for Idiopathic Hypogonadotrophic Hypogonadism has Beneficial and Deleterious Effects on Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/30/testosterone-therapy-for-idiopathic-hypogonadotrophic-hypogonadism-has-beneficial-and-deleterious-effects-on-cardiovascular-risk-factors/

 

Calcium and Cardiovascular Diseases: A Series of Twelve Articles in Advanced Cardiology

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/28/calcium-and-cardiovascular-diseases-a-series-of-twelve-articles-in-advanced-cardiology/

 

Acute Myocardial Infarction: Curations of Cardiovascular Original Research – A Bibliography

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/22/acute-myocardial-infarction-curations-of-cardiovascular-original-research-a-bibliography/

 

On-Hours vs Off-Hours: Presentation to ER with Acute Myocardial Infarction – Lower Survival Rate if Off-Hours

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/22/on-hours-vs-off-hours-presentation-to-er-with-acute-myocardial-infarction-lower-survival-rate-if-off-hours/

 

2014 Winter in New England: The Effect of Record Cold Temperatures on Cardiovascular Diseases

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/21/2014-winter-in-new-england-the-effect-of-record-cold-temperatures-on-cardiovascular-diseases/

 

Voices from the Cleveland Clinic: On the New Lipid Guidelines and On the ACC/AHA Risk Calculator

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/21/voices-from-the-cleveland-clinic-on-the-new-lipid-guidelines-and-on-the-accaha-risk-calculator/

 

Is it Hypertension or Physical Inactivity: Cardiovascular Risk and Mortality – New results in 3/2013

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/19/is-it-hypertension-or-physical-inactivity-cardiovascular-risk-and-mortality-new-results-in-32013/

 

Regeneration: Cardiac System (cardiomyogenesis) and Vasculature (angiogenesis)

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/15/regeneration-cardiac-system-and-vasculature

 

Conceived: NEW Definition for Co-Curation in Medical Research

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/04/conceived-new-definition-for-co-curation-in-medical-research/

 

The Young Surgeon and The Retired Pathologist: On Science, Medicine and HealthCare Policy – The Best Writers Among the WRITERS

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/12/10/the-young-surgeon-and-the-retired-pathologist-on-science-medicine-and-healthcare-policy-best-writers-among-the-writers/

 

Diabetes-risk Forecasts: Serum Calcium in Upper-Normal Range (>2.5 mmol/L) as a New Biomarker

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/09/25/diabetes-risk-forecasts-serum-calcium-in-upper-normal-range-2-5-mmoll-as-a-new-biomarker/

 

Do Novel Anticoagulants Affect the PT/INR? The Cases of XARELTO (rivaroxaban) or PRADAXA (dabigatran)

Curators: Lal, V., Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/09/23/do-novel-anticoagulants-affect-the-ptinr-the-cases-of-xarelto-rivaroxaban-and-pradaxa-dabigatran/

 

Calcium-Channel Blocker, Calcium Release-related Contractile Dysfunction (Ryanopathy) and Calcium as Neurotransmitter Sensor

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC, Larry H. Bernstein, MD FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/09/16/calcium-channel-blocker-calcium-as-neurotransmitter-sensor-and-calcium-release-related-contractile-dysfunction-ryanopathy/

 

Disruption of Calcium HomeostasisCardiomyocytes and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: The Cardiac and Cardiovascular Calcium Signaling Mechanism

Curators: Larry H. Bernstein, MD FCAP, Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC, and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/09/12/disruption-of-calcium-homeostasis-cardiomyocytes-and-vascular-smooth-muscle-cells-the-cardiac-and-cardiovascular-calcium-signaling-mechanism/

 

Synaptotagmin functions as a Calcium Sensor: How Calcium Ions Regulate the fusion of vesicles with cell membranes during Neurotransmission

Curators:  Larry H. Bernstein, MD FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/09/10/synaptotagmin-functions-as-a-calcium-sensor-how-calcium-ions-regulate-the-fusion-of-vesicles-with-cell-membranes-during-neurotransmission/

 

Cardiac Contractility & Myocardium Performance: Ventricular Arrhythmias and Non-ischemic Heart Failure – Therapeutic Implications for Cardiomyocyte Ryanopathy (Calcium Release-related Contractile Dysfunction) and Catecholamine Responses

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC, Larry H. Bernstein, MD FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/28/cardiac-contractility-myocardium-performance-ventricular-arrhythmias-and-non-ischemic-heart-failure-therapeutic-implications-for-cardiomyocyte-ryanopathy-calcium-release-related-contractile/

 

Cardiovascular Original Research: Cases in Methodology Design for Content Curation and Co-Curation

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/29/cardiovascular-original-research-cases-in-methodology-design-for-content-curation-and-co-curation/

 

Heart Transplant (HT) Indication for Heart Failure (HF): Procedure Outcomes and Research on HF, HT @ Two Nation’s Leading HF & HT Centers

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/09/research-programs-george-m-linda-h-kaufman-center-for-heart-failure-cleveland-clinic/

 

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) at Birth and into Adulthood: The Role of Spontaneous Mutations

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/09/congenital-heart-disease-at-birth-and-into-adulthood-the-role-of-spontaneous-mutations-the-genes-and-the-pathways/

 

Clinical Indications for Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide (iNO) in the Adult Patient Market: Clinical Outcomes after Use, Therapy Demand and Cost of Care

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/03/clinical-indications-for-use-of-inhaled-nitric-oxide-ino-in-the-adult-patient-market-clinical-outcomes-after-use-therapy-demand-and-cost-of-care/

 

Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Adults: Clinical Trials and Meta Analysis Studies – Recent Findings

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/02/inhaled-nitric-oxide-in-adults-with-acute-respiratory-distress-syndrome/

 

Imaging Biomarker for Arterial Stiffness: Pathways in Pharmacotherapy for Hypertension and Hypercholesterolemia Management

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/24/imaging-biomarker-for-arterial-stiffness-pathways-in-pharmacotherapy-for-hypertension-and-hypercholesterolemia-management/

 

Synthetic Biology: On Advanced Genome Interpretation for Gene Variants and Pathways: What is the Genetic Base of Atherosclerosis and Loss of Arterial Elasticity with Aging

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/17/synthetic-biology-on-advanced-genome-interpretation-for-gene-variants-and-pathways-what-is-the-genetic-base-of-atherosclerosis-and-loss-of-arterial-elasticity-with-aging/

 

Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease, Treatment and Prevention: Current & Predicted Cost of Care and the Promise of Individualized Medicine Using Clinical Decision Support Systems

Curators: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC, Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/15/diagnosis-of-cardiovascular-disease-treatment-and-prevention-current-predicted-cost-of-care-and-the-promise-of-individualized-medicine-using-clinical-decision-support-systems-2/

 

Gene, Meis1, Regulates the Heart’s Ability to Regenerate after Injuries.

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/03/gene-meis1-regulates-the-hearts-ability-to-regenerate-after-injuries/

 

Prostacyclin and Nitric Oxide: Adventures in Vascular Biology – A Tale of Two Mediators

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/30/prostacyclin-and-nitric-oxide-adventures-in-vascular-biology-a-tale-of-two-mediators/

 

Genetics of Conduction Disease: Atrioventricular (AV) Conduction Disease (block): Gene Mutations – Transcription, Excitability, and Energy Homeostasis

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/28/genetics-of-conduction-disease-atrioventricular-av-conduction-disease-block-gene-mutations-transcription-excitability-and-energy-homeostasis/

 

Economic Toll of Heart Failure in the US: Forecasting the Impact of Heart Failure in the United States – A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/25/economic-toll-of-heart-failure-in-the-us-forecasting-the-impact-of-heart-failure-in-the-united-states-a-policy-statement-from-the-american-heart-association/

 

Harnessing New Players in Atherosclerosis to Treat Heart Disease

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/25/harnessing-new-players-in-atherosclerosis-to-treat-heart-disease/

 

Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) Inhibitor: Potential of Anacetrapib to treat Atherosclerosis and CAD

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/07/cholesteryl-ester-transfer-protein-cetp-inhibitor-potential-of-anacetrapib-to-treat-atherosclerosis-and-cad/

 

Hypertriglyceridemia concurrent Hyperlipidemia: Vertical Density Gradient Ultracentrifugation a Better Test to Prevent Undertreatment of High-Risk Cardiac Patients

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/04/hypertriglyceridemia-concurrent-hyperlipidemia-vertical-density-gradient-ultracentrifugation-a-better-test-to-prevent-undertreatment-of-high-risk-cardiac-patients/

 

Fight against Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Biologics not a Small Molecule – Recombinant Human lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (rhLCAT) attracted AstraZeneca to acquire AlphaCore

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/04/03/fight-against-atherosclerotic-cardiovascular-disease-a-biologics-not-a-small-molecule-recombinant-human-lecithin-cholesterol-acyltransferase-rhlcat-attracted-astrazeneca-to-acquire-alphacore/

 

High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL): An Independent Predictor of Endothelial Function & Atherosclerosis, A Modulator, An Agonist, A Biomarker for Cardiovascular Risk

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/03/31/high-density-lipoprotein-hdl-an-independent-predictor-of-endothelial-function-artherosclerosis-a-modulator-an-agonist-a-biomarker-for-cardiovascular-risk/ 

 

Genomics & Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease Diagnoses: A Literature Survey of AHA’s Circulation Cardiovascular Genetics, 3/2010 – 3/2013

Curators: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN and Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/03/07/genomics-genetics-of-cardiovascular-disease-diagnoses-a-literature-survey-of-ahas-circulation-cardiovascular-genetics-32010-32013/

 

The Heart: Vasculature Protection – A Concept-based Pharmacological Therapy including THYMOSIN

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/02/28/the-heart-vasculature-protection-a-concept-based-pharmacological-therapy-including-thymosin/

 

Thymosin References

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/02/27/thymosin-references/

 

Arteriogenesis and Cardiac Repair: Two Biomaterials – Injectable Thymosin beta4 and Myocardial Matrix Hydrogel

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/02/27/arteriogenesis-and-cardiac-repair-two-biomaterials-injectable-thymosin-beta4-and-myocardial-matrix-hydrogel/

 

PCI Outcomes, Increased Ischemic Risk associated with Elevated Plasma Fibrinogen not Platelet Reactivity

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/10/pci-outcomes-increased-ischemic-risk-associated-with-elevated-plasma-fibrinogen-not-platelet-reactivity/

 

Heart Renewal by pre-existing Cardiomyocytes: Source of New Heart Cell Growth Discovered

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/12/23/heart-renewal-by-pre-existing-cardiomyocytes-source-of-new-heart-cell-growth-discovered/

 

Special Considerations in Blood Lipoproteins, Viscosity, Assessment and Treatment

Curators: Larry H. Bernstein and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/11/28/special-considerations-in-blood-lipoproteins-viscosity-assessment-and-treatment/

 

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-gamma) Receptors Activation: PPARγ transrepression for Angiogenesis in Cardiovascular Disease and PPARγ transactivation for Treatment of Diabetes

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/11/13/peroxisome-proliferator-activated-receptor-ppar-gamma-receptors-activation-pparγ-transrepression-for-angiogenesis-in-cardiovascular-disease-and-pparγ-transactivation-for-treatment-of-dia/

 

Cardiovascular Risk Inflammatory Marker: Risk Assessment for Coronary Heart Disease and Ischemic Stroke – Atherosclerosis.

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/30/cardiovascular-risk-inflammatory-marker-risk-assessment-for-coronary-heart-disease-and-ischemic-stroke-atherosclerosis/

 

Clinical Trials Results for Endothelin System: Pathophysiological role in Chronic Heart Failure, Acute Coronary Syndromes and MI – Marker of Disease Severity or Genetic Determination?

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/19/clinical-trials-results-for-endothelin-system-pathophysiological-role-in-chronic-heart-failure-acute-coronary-syndromes-and-mi-marker-of-disease-severity-or-genetic-determination/

 

Sustained Cardiac Atrial Fibrillation: Management Strategies by Director of the Arrhythmia Service and Electrophysiology Lab at The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/16/sustained-cardiac-atrial-fibrillation-management-strategies-by-director-of-the-arrhythmia-service-and-electrophysiology-lab-at-the-johns-hopkins-hospital/

 

Endothelin Receptors in Cardiovascular Diseases: The Role of eNOS Stimulation

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/04/endothelin-receptors-in-cardiovascular-diseases-the-role-of-enos-stimulation/

 

Inhibition of ET-1, ETA and ETA-ETB, Induction of NO production, stimulation of eNOS and Treatment Regime with PPAR-gamma agonists (TZD): cEPCs Endogenous Augmentation for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction – A Bibliography

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/04/inhibition-of-et-1-eta-and-eta-etb-induction-of-no-production-and-stimulation-of-enos-and-treatment-regime-with-ppar-gamma-agonists-tzd-cepcs-endogenous-augmentation-for-cardiovascular-risk-reduc/

Positioning a Therapeutic Concept for Endogenous Augmentation of cEPCs — Therapeutic Indications for Macrovascular Disease: Coronary, Cerebrovascular and Peripheral

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/29/positioning-a-therapeutic-concept-for-endogenous-augmentation-of-cepcs-therapeutic-indications-for-macrovascular-disease-coronary-cerebrovascular-and-peripheral/ 

 

Cardiovascular Outcomes: Function of circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells (cEPCs): Exploring Pharmaco-therapy targeted at Endogenous Augmentation of cEPCs

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/28/cardiovascular-outcomes-function-of-circulating-endothelial-progenitor-cells-cepcs-exploring-pharmaco-therapy-targeted-at-endogenous-augmentation-of-cepcs/

 

Endothelial Dysfunction, Diminished Availability of cEPCs, Increasing CVD Risk for Macrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/27/endothelial-dysfunction-diminished-availability-of-cepcs-increasing-cvd-risk-for-macrovascular-disease-therapeutic-potential-of-cepcs/

 

Vascular Medicine and Biology: Classification of Fast Acting Therapy for Patients at High Risk for Macrovascular Events – Macrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/24/vascular-medicine-and-biology-classification-of-fast-acting-therapy-for-patients-at-high-risk-for-macrovascular-events-macrovascular-disease-therapeutic-potential-of-cepcs/

 

 

Ethical Considerations in Studying Drug Safety — The Institute of Medicine Report

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/23/ethical-considerations-in-studying-drug-safety-the-institute-of-medicine-report/

 

Cardiac Arrhythmias: A Risk for Extreme Performance Athletes

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/08/cardiac-arrhythmias-a-risk-for-extreme-performance-athletes/

 

Biosimilars: Intellectual Property Creation and Protection by Pioneer and by Biosimilar Manufacturers

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/30/biosimilars-intellectual-property-creation-and-protection-by-pioneer-and-by-biosimilar-manufacturers/

 

Biosimilars: Financials 2012 vs. 2008

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/30/biosimilars-financials-2012-vs-2008/

 

Biosimilars: CMC Issues and Regulatory Requirements

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/29/biosimilars-cmc-issues-and-regulatory-requirements/

 

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and the Role of agent alternatives in endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS) Activation and Nitric Oxide Production

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/19/cardiovascular-disease-cvd-and-the-role-of-agent-alternatives-in-endothelial-nitric-oxide-synthase-enos-activation-and-nitric-oxide-production/

 

Resident-cell-based Therapy in Human Ischaemic Heart Disease: Evolution in the PROMISE of Thymosin beta4 for Cardiac Repair

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/04/30/93/

 

Triple Antihypertensive Combination Therapy Significantly Lowers Blood Pressure in Hard-to-Treat Patients with Hypertension and Diabetes

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/05/29/445/

 

Macrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs: Reduction Methods for CV Risk

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/02/macrovascular-disease-therapeutic-potential-of-cepcs-reduction-methods-for-cv-risk/

 

Mitochondria Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Disease – Mitochondria: More than just the “powerhouse of the cell”

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/09/mitochondria-more-than-just-the-powerhouse-of-the-cell/

 

Bystolic’s generic Nebivolol – positive effect on circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells endogenous augmentation

Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN 

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/16/bystolics-generic-nebivolol-positive-effect-on-circulating-endothilial-progrnetor-cells-endogenous-augmentation/

Lev-Ari, A. Heart Vasculature (2007) Regeneration and Protection of Coronary Artery Endothelium and Smooth Muscle: A Concept-based Pharmacological Therapy of a Combined Three Drug Regimen.

Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115

 

Lev-Ari, A. & Abourjaily, P. (2006a) “An Investigation of the Potential of circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells (cEPC) as a Therapeutic Target for Pharmacologic Therapy Design for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction.”

  • Part IMacrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs – Reduction methods for CV risk.
  • Part II:(2006b) Therapeutic Strategy for cEPCs Endogenous Augmentation: A Concept-based Treatment Protocol for a Combined Three Drug Regimen.
  • Part III: (2006c)Biomarker for Therapeutic Targets of Cardiovascular Risk Reduction by cEPCs Endogenous Augmentation using New Combination Drug Therapy of Three Drug Classes and Several Drug Indications.

Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115

 

Curator: Medical Research – 557 articles in Books

Editorial & Publication of Articles in e-Books by Leaders in Pharmaceutical Business Intelligence: Contributions of Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/10/16/editorial-publication-of-articles-in-e-books-by-leaders-in-pharmaceutical-business-intelligence-contributions-of-aviva-lev-ari-phd-rn/

 

 

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Series A: e-Books on Cardiovascular Diseases

Series A Content Consultant: Justin D Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC

VOLUME FOUR

Regenerative and Translational Medicine

The Therapeutic Promise for

Cardiovascular Diseases

 
by  

Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP, Senior Editor, Author and Curator

and

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN, Editor and Curator

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Stem Cells and Cardiac Repair: Content Curation & Scientific Reporting

 

Lev-Ari, A. Stem cells create new heart cells in baby mice, but not in adults, study shows

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/03/stem-cells-create-new-heart-cells-in-baby-mice-but-not-in-adults-study-shows/

 

Lev-Ari, A. Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and the Role of agent alternatives in endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS) Activation and Nitric Oxide Production

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/19/cardiovascular-disease-cvd-and-the-role-of-agent-alternatives-in-endothelial-nitric-oxide-synthase-enos-activation-and-nitric-oxide-production/

 

Lev-Ari, A. Bystolic’s generic Nebivolol – positive effect on circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells endogenous augmentation

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/16/bystolics-generic-nebivolol-positive-effect-on-circulating-endothilial-progrnetor-cells-endogenous-augmentation/

 

Lev-Ari, A. Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells Milestones in the research on Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells as diagnostic markers of cardiovascular risk have been reported in NEJM

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/12/circulating-endothelial-progenitor-cells-milestones-in-the-research-on-circulating-endothelial-progenitor-cells-as-diagnostic-markers-of-cardiovascular-risk-have-been-reported-in-nejm/

Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells
Milestones in the research on Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells as diagnostic markers of cardiovascular risk have been reported in NEJM 2003 348:593– 600; (2005); Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Cardiovascular Outcomes, NEJM, 353: 999-1007; Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells Correspondence http://www.nejm.org December 15, 2005; (2005) Correspondence to the Editor on Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells. NEJM, 353:24, 2613-2616; Werner, N & Nickenig, G. (2005b). Authors Reply to Correspondence to the Editor on Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells. NEJM, 353:24, 2613-2616. Rosenzweig A., (2005). Circulating Endothelial Progenitors – Cells as Biomarkers. NEJM., 353;10: 1055-1057.

Based on that state of the art research I defined in 2006 an independent research study and carried out research on “Macrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs: Reduction Methods for CV Risk” An Investigation of the Potential of circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells (cEPCs) as a Therapeutic Target for Pharmacological Therapy Design for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: A New Multimarker Biomarker Discovery. I’ll attribute my increasing interest in Molecular Cardiology to above NEJM articles.

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1112812#t=comments

 

Lev-Ari, A. Macrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs: Reduction Methods for CV Risk

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/02/macrovascular-disease-therapeutic-potential-of-cepcs-reduction-methods-for-cv-risk/

 

Lev-Ari, A. Heart patients’ skin cells turned into healthy heart muscle cells

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/06/04/heart-patients-skin-cells-turned-into-healthy-heart-muscle-cells/

 

Lev-Ari, A. Resident-cell-based Therapy in Human Ischaemic Heart Disease: Evolution in the PROMISE of Thymosin beta4 for Cardiac Repair

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/04/30/93/

 

Articles  commissioned by Dr. Lev-Ari for http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com

 

Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP

 

Progenitor Cell Transplant for MI and Cardiogenesis (Part 1)

Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/10/28/progenitor-cell-transplant-for-mi-and-cardiogenesis/

 

Source of Stem Cells to Ameliorate Damage Myocardium (Part 2)

Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013-10-29/larryhbern/Source_of_Stem_Cells_to_Ameliorate_ Damaged_Myocardium/

An Acellular 3-Dimensional Collagen Scaffold Induces Neo-angiogenesis
(Part 3)

Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013-10-29/larryhbern/An_Acellular_3-Dimensional_Collagen_Scaffold _Induces_Neo-angiogenesis/

 

Jmjd3 and Cardiovascular Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells

Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/10/26/jmjd3-and-cardiovascular-differentiation-of-embryonic-stem-cells/

Stem Cell Therapy for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/11/02/stem-cell-therapy-for-coronary-heart-disease/

 

Intracoronary Transplantation of Progenitor Cells after Acute MI

Curators: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/11/02/progenitor-cells-coronary-graft-after-ami/

 

Sudipta Saha, PhD

Saha, S. Innovations in Bio-instrumentation for Measurement of Circulating Progenitor Endothelial Cells in Human Blood

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/08/innovations-in-bio-instrumentation-for-measurement-of-circulating-progenitor-endothelial-cells-in-human-blood/

 

Saha, S. Human Embryonic-Derived Cardiac Progenitor Cells for Myocardial Repair

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/01/human-embryonic-derived-cardiac-progenitor-cells-for-myocardial-repair/

 

Saha, S. Endothelial Differentiation and Morphogenesis of Cardiac Precursors

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/17/endothelial-differentiation-and-morphogenesis-of-cardiac-precursors/

Ritu Saxena, PhD

In focus: Circulating Tumor Cells

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/06/24/in-focus-circulating-tumor-cells/

 

In Focus: Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/03/27/in-focus-targeting-of-cancer-stem-cells/

 

Mitochondrial Dynamics and Cardiovascular Disease

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/11/14/mitochondrial-dynamics-and-cardiovascular-diseases/

 

Blood-vessels-generating stem cells discovered

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/22/blood-vessel-generating-stem-cells-discovered/

 

Mitochondria: More than just the “powerhouse of the cell”

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/09/mitochondria-more-than-just-the-powerhouse-of-the-cell/

 

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Stem-Cell Therapy for Ischemic Heart Failure: Clinical Trial MSC Demonstrates Efficacy

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Medscape Medical News from the

This coverage is not sanctioned by, nor a part of, the American College of Cardiology.

MSC Trial: Stem-Cell Therapy for Ischemic HF Inches Forward

April 04, 2014

Receive an email from Medscape whenever new articles on this topic are available.

 WASHINGTON, DC — It was with heavier hearts that ischemic heart-failure patients concluded therapy in a recent randomized trial. More precisely, it was with greater end-systolic myocardial mass and perhaps less myocardial scar.

They had been assigned to receive intramyocardial injections of autologous mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), a kind of stem cell, for their ischemic heart disease. After six months, their proportion of functional heart muscle had gone up along with LV end-systolic volumes, stroke volume, and LVEF, compared with control patients who had received similar intramyocardial injections of saline.

Those gains, however, failed to translate into clinical benefit as measured by NYHA class and six-minute-walk distance. Interestingly, those measures did improve significantly for patients who received the cell therapy, but also for patients in the control group.

The MSC-HF trial, which entered 59 patients with chronic ischemic heart failure despite maximal medications for whom coronary revascularization wasn’t an option, was reported here this week by Dr Anders Bruun Mathiasen (Rigshospitalet University Hospital Copenhagen, Denmark) at the American College of Cardiology 2014 Scientific Sessions . Those with LVEF <45% and in NYHA functional class 2 to 3 were eligible; the group’s average LVEF was 28%.

At a briefing for media, Dr James B Hermiller (St Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN) said that the trial showed “very dramatic improvements in metrics of heart performance,” but that what might have been functional improvements seemed to be lost in a marked placebo effect among controls. Hermiller wasn’t part of the MSC trial.

The 59 patients had been randomized 2:1 to cell therapy or placebo; MSCs were obtained from all patients, their numbers amplified in the laboratory, and then injected into ischemic viable myocardial regions guided by the NOGA XP (Cordis) catheter-based navigation system.

Of the randomized patients, 37 of the 39 getting cell therapy and 18 of the 20 controls were available for a six-month follow-up. At that time, mean LV end-systolic volume, LVEF, stroke volume, and end-systolic myocardial mass had improved significantly in the MSC-therapy group, both with respect to baseline levels and vs the control group.

Changes in Cardiac Measures Six Months after Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) Therapy or Placebo in MSC-FH

End points at 6 mo MSC group (p vs baseline) Placebo p (MSC vs placebo)
LV end-systolic volume* (mL) -8.2 (0.001) +6.0 0.001
LVEF (percentage points) +5 (<0.0001) -1.4 <0.0001
Stroke volume (mL) +17.4 (<0.002) -3.1 <0.0001
End-systolic myocardial mass (g) +10.1 (<0.0001) -2.1 <0.0001
Scar-tissue mass (g) -4.4 (<0.017) -0.5 NS

*By MRI or CT, primary end point

There were no such differences in LV end-diastolic volume or LV end-diastolic myocardial mass. The MSC group showed significant improvements vs baseline in NYHA class (p<0.0001), six-minute-walk distance (p=0.001), and overall score on the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (p=0.0001). But then so did the control group (p=0.001, 0.0004, and 0.003, respectively).

There were no significant differences in severe adverse events, including MI, stroke, HF worsening, syncope, need for revascularization, arrhythmias, or need for implantable defibrillators or biventricular pacemakers.

Sponsored
A review of studies on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), and a direct renin inhibitor (DRI).

Dr William O’Neill (Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI), speaking from the panel following Mathiasen’s presentation of the study, noted that it continues a longtime trend in trials of cell therapyfor cardiomyopathy in having a small sample size. “We still aren’t even close to having this as an accepted mainstay therapy. And I think the challenge for you is to prove that there’s actually clinical benefit by a five-percentage-point increase in ejection fraction when the patients feel equally well in both groups. I wonder how is it that this field is going to progress if we do see some modest benefit in LV function but no other clinical correlates.”

Mathiasen replied, “We are going to follow this study up with a phase 3 trial that will run across six centers in Europe and will treat 140 patients also randomized in a 2:1 pattern. These patients will receive injections of either placebo or allogeneic MSAs from adipose tissue.” And “it will be powered for the same end points as this trial.”

Mathiasen had no disclosures. Hermiller discloses receiving consulting fees or honoraria from St Jude Medical, Abbott Vascular, Boston Scientific, and Medtronic. O’Neill discloses receiving consulting fees or honoraria from Medtronic and Edwards Lifesciences, being an officer or director for Neovasc, and having an ownership stake in or being a partner or other principal with Accumed Systems and Syntheon Cardiology.

 

SOURCE

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823123?nlid=53983_2562&src=wnl_edit_medp_card&uac=93761AJ&spon=2

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Epilogue: Envisioning New Insights in Cancer Translational Biology

Author and Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP

 

The foregoing  summary leads to a beginning as it is a conclusion.  It concludes a body of work in the e-book series,

Series C: e-Books on Cancer & Oncology

Series C Content Consultant: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP

 

VOLUME ONE 

Cancer Biology and Genomics for Disease Diagnosis

2014

Stephen J. Williams, PhD, Senior Editor

sjwilliamspa@comcast.net

Tilda Barliya, PhD, Editor

tildabarliya@gmail.com

Ritu Saxena, PhD, Editor

ritu.uab@gmail.com

Leaders in Pharmaceutical Business Intelligence 

that has been presented by the cancer team of professional experts, e-Book concept was conceived by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN, e-Series Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Leaders in Pharmaceutical Business Intelligence 

and the Open Access Online Scientific Journal

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com

Stephen J. Williams, PhD, Senior Editor, and other notable contributors in  various aspects of cancer research in the emerging fields of targeted  pharmacology,  nanotechnology, cancer imaging, molecular pathology, transcriptional and regulatory ‘OMICS’, metabolism, medical and allied health related sciences, synthetic biology, pharmaceutical discovery, and translational medicine.

This  volume and its content have been conceived and organized to capture the organized events that emerge in embryological development, leading to the major organ systems that we recognize anatomically and physiologically as an integrated being.  We capture the dynamic interactions between the systems under stress  that are elicited by cytokine-driven hormonal responses, long thought to be circulatory and multisystem, that affect the major compartments of  fat and lean body mass, and are as much the drivers of metabolic pathway changes that emerge as epigenetics, without disregarding primary genetic diseases.

The greatest difficulty in organizing such a work is in whether it is to be merely a compilation of cancer expression organized by organ systems, or whether it is to capture developing concepts of underlying stem cell expressed changes that were once referred to as “dedifferentiation”.  In proceeding through the stages of neoplastic transformation, there occur adaptive local changes in cellular utilization of anabolic and catabolic pathways, and a retention or partial retention of functional specificities.

This  effectively results in the same cancer types not all fitting into the same “shoe”. There is a sequential loss of identity associated with cell migration, cell-cell interactions with underlying stroma, and metastasis., but cells may still retain identifying “signatures” in microRNA combinatorial patterns.  The story is still incomplete, with gaps in our knowledge that challenge the imagination.

What we have laid out is a map with substructural ordered concepts forming subsets within the structural maps.  There are the traditional energy pathways with terms aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, triose phosphate branch chains, pentose shunt, and TCA cycle vs the Lynen cycle, the Cori cycle, glycogenolysis, lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, autosomy and mitosomy, and genetic transcription, cell degradation and repair, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and their involved anatomic structures (cytoskeleton, cytoplasm, mitochondria, liposomes and phagosomes, contractile apparatus, synapse.

Then there is beneath this macro-domain the order of signaling pathways that regulate these domains and through mechanisms of cellular regulatory control have pleiotropic inhibitory or activation effects, that are driven by extracellular and intracellular energy modulating conditions through three recognized structures: the mitochondrial inner membrane, the intercellular matrix, and the ion-channels.

What remains to be done?

  1. There is still to be elucidated the differences in patterns within cancer types the distinct phenotypic and genotypic features  that mitigate anaplastic behavior. One leg of this problem lies in the density of mitochondria, that varies between organ types, but might vary also within cell type of a common function.  Another leg of this problem has also appeared to lie in the cell death mechanism that relates to the proeosomal activity acting on both the ribosome and mitochondrion in a coordinated manner.  This is an unsolved mystery of molecular biology.

 

  1. Then there is a need to elucidate the major differences between tumors of endocrine, sexual, and structural organs, which are distinguished by primarily a synthetic or primarily a catabolic function, and organs that are neither primarily one or the other.  For example, tumors of the thyroid and paratnhyroids, islet cells of pancreas, adrenal cortex, and pituitary glands have the longest 5 year survivals.  They and the sexual organs are in the visceral compartment.  The rest of the visceral compartment would be the liver, pancreas, salivary glands, gastrointestinal tract, and lungs (which are embryologically an outpouching of the gastrointestinal tract), kidneys and lower urinary tract.  Cancers of these organs have a much less favorable survival (brain, breast and prostate, lymphatic, blood forming organ, skin).  The case  is intermediate for breast and prostate between the endocrine organs and GI tract, based on natural history, irrespective of the available treatments.  Just consider the dilemma over what we do about screening for prostate cancer in men over the age of 60 years age who have a 70 percent incident silent carcinoma of the prostate that could be associated with unrelated cause of death.  The very rapid turnover of the gastric and colonic GI epithelium, and of the  subepithelial  B cell mucosal lymphocytic structures  is associated  with a greater aggressiveness of the tumor.

 

  1. However, we  have to reconsider the observation by NO Kaplan than the synthetic and catabolic functions are highlighted by differences in the expressions of the balance of  the two major pyridine nucleotides – DPN (NAD) and TPN (NADP) – which also might be related to the density of mitochondria  which is associated with both NADP and synthetic activity, and  with efficient aerobic function.  These are in an equilibrium through the “transhydrogenase reaction” co-discovered by Kaplan, in Fritz Lipmann’s laboratory. There does  arise a conundrum involving the regulation of mitochondria in these high turnover epithelial tissues  that rely on aerobic energy, and generate ATP through TPN linked activity, when they undergo carcinogenesis. The cells  replicate and they become utilizers of glycolysis, while at the same time, the cell death pathway is quiescent. The result becomes the introduction of peripheral muscle and liver synthesized protein cannabolization (cancer cachexia) to provide glucose  from proteolytic amino acid sources.

 

  1. There is also the structural compartment of the lean body mass. This is the heart, skeletal  structures (includes smooth muscle of GI tract, uterus, urinary bladder, brain, bone, bone marrow).  The contractile component is associated with sarcomas.  What is most striking is that the heart, skeletal muscle, and inflammatory cells are highly catabolic, not anabolic.  NO Kaplan referred tp them as DPN (NAD) tissues. This compartment requires high oxygen supply, and has a high mechanical function. But again, we return to the original observations of enrgy requirements at rest being different than at high demand.  At work, skeletal muscle generates lactic acid, but the heart can use lactic acid as fuel,.

 

  1. The liver is supplied by both the portal vein and the hepatic artery, so it is not prone to local ischemic injury (Zahn infarct). It is exceptional in that it carries out synthesis of all the circulating transport proteins, has a major function in lipid synthesis and in glycogenesis and glycogenolysis, with the added role of drug detoxification through the P450 system.  It is not only the largest organ (except for brain), but is highly active both anabolically and catabolically (by ubiquitilation).
  2. The expected cellular turnover rates for these tissues and their balance of catabolic and anabolic function would have to be taken into account to account for the occurrence and the activities of oncogenesis. This is by no means a static picture, but a dynamic organism constantly in flux imposed by internal and external challenges.  It is also important to note the the organs have a concentration of mitochondria, associated with energy synthetic and catabolic requirements provided by oxygen supply and the electron transport mechanism for oxidative phosphorylation.  For example, tissues that are primarily synthetic do not have intermitent states of resting and high demand, as seen in skeletal muscle, or perhaps myocardium (which is syncytial and uses lactic acid generated from skeletal muscle when there is high demand).
  3. The existence of  lncDNA has been discovered only as a result of the human genome project (HGP). This was previously known only as “dark DNA”.  It has become clear that lncDNA has an important role in cellular regulatory activities centered in the chromatin modeling.  Moreover, just as proteins exhibit functionality in their folding, related to tertiary structure and highly influenced by location of –S-S- bridges and amino acid residue distances (allosteric effects), there is a less studied effect as the chromatin becomes more compressed within the nucleus, that should have a bearing on cellular expression.

According to Jose Eduardo de Salles Roselino , when the Na/Glucose transport system (for a review Silvermann, M. in Annu. Rev. Biochem.60: 757-794(1991)) was  found in kidneys as well as in key absorptive cells of digestive tract, it should be stressed its functional relationship with “internal milieu” and real meaning, homeostasis. It is easy to understand how the major topic was presented as how to prevent diarrheal deaths in infants, while detected in early stages. However, from a biochemical point of view, as presented in Schrödinger´s What is life?, (biochemistry offering a molecular view for two legs of biology, physiology and genetics). Why should it be driven to the sole target of understanding genetics? Why the understanding of physiology in molecular terms should be so neglected?

From a biochemical point of view, here in a single protein. It is found the transport of the cation most directly related to water maintenance, the internal solvent that bath our cells and the hydrocarbon whose concentration is kept under homeostatic control on that solvent. Completely at variance with what is presented in microorganisms as previously mentioned in Moyed and Umbarger revision (Ann. Rev42: 444(1962)) that does not regulates the environment where they live and appears to influence it only as an incidental result of their metabolism.

In case any attempt is made in order to explain why the best leg that supports scientific reasoning from biology for medical purposes was led to atrophy, several possibilities can be raised. However, none of them could be placed strictly in scientific terms. Factors that bare little relationship with scientific progress in general terms must also be taken into account.

One simple possibility of explanation can be found in one review (G. Scatchard – Solutions of Electrolytes Ann. Rev. Physical Chemistry 14: 161-176 (1963)).  A simple reading of it and the sophisticated differences among researchers will discourage one hundred per cent of biologists to keep in touch with this line of research. Biochemists may keep on reading.  However, consider that first: Complexity is not amenable to reductionist vision in all cases. Second, as coupling between scalar flows such as chemical reactions and vector flows such as diffusion flows, heat flows, and electrical current can occur only in anisotropic system…let them with their problems of solvents, ions and etc. and let our biochemical reactions on another basket. At the interface, for instance, at membrane level, we will agree that ATP is converted to ADP because it is far from equilibrium and the continuous replenishment of ATP that maintain relatively constant ATP levels inside the cell and this requires some non-stationary flow.

Our major point must be to understand that our biological limits are far clearer present in our limited ability to regulate the information stored in the DNA than in the amount of information we have in the DNA as the master regulator of the cells.

The amazing revelation that Masahiro Chiga   (discovery of liver adenylate kinase  distinct from that of muscle) taught  me (LHB) is – draw 2 circles  that intersect, one of which represents what we know, the other – what we don’t know.  We don’t teach how much we don’t know!  Even today, as much as 40 years ago, there is a lot we need to get on top of this.

 

The observation is rather similar to the presentations I  (Jose Eduardo de Salles Rosalino) was previously allowed to make of the conformational energy as made by R Marcus in his Nobel lecture revised (J. of  Electroanalytical Chemistry 438:(1997) p251-259. His description of the energetic coordinates of a landscape of a chemical reaction is only a two-dimensional cut of what in fact is a volcano crater (in three dimensions) ( each one varie but the sum of the two is constant. Solvational+vibrational=100% in ordinate) nuclear coordinates in abcissa. In case we could represent it by research methods that allow us to discriminate in one by one degree of different pairs of energy, we would most likely have 360 other similar representations of the same phenomenon. The real representation would take into account all those 360 representation together. In case our methodology was not that fine, for instance it discriminate only differences of minimal 10 degrees in 360 possible, will have 36 partial representations of something that to be perfectly represented will require all 36 being taken together. Can you reconcile it with ATGC? Yet, when complete genome sequences were presented they were described as we will know everything about this living being. The most important problems in biology will be viewed by limited vision always and the awareness of this limited is something we should acknowledge and teach it. Therefore, our knowledge is made up of partial representations.

 

Even though we may have complete genome data for the most intricate biological problems, they are not so amenable to this level of reductionism. However, from general views of signals and symptoms we could get to the most detailed molecular view and in this case the genome provides an anchor. This is somehow, what Houssay was saying to me and to Leloir when he pointed out that only in very rare occasions biological phenomena could be described in three terms: Pacco, the dog and the anesthetic (previous e-mail). The non-coding region, to me will be important guiding places for protein interactions.

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Human Longevity Inc (HLI) – $70M in Financing of Venter’s New Integrative Omics and Clinical Bioinformatics

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Article ID #121: Human Longevity Inc (HLI) – $70M in Financing of Venter’s New Integrative Omics and Clinical Bioinformatics. Published on 3/5/14

WordCloud Image Produced by Adam Tubman

Venter’s New Integrative Omics and Clinical Data Analysis Firm Lands $70M in Financing

March 04, 2014

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – J. Craig Venter today unveiled a new company called Human Longevity Inc. that will combine human genome, microbiome, and metabolome data coupled with clinical information to fuel development of new diagnostics, therapeutics, and stem cell treatments for diseases related to aging.

In a media briefing today, Venter said the company will “change the way medicine is practiced,” and will spearhead “a shift to a more preventive, genomic-based medicine model” that can lead to longer, healthier lives and lower healthcare costs.

Using $70 million in Series A financing, HLI initially plans to conduct genome, microbiome, and tumor sequencing on patients from the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center and use their clinical phenotype and metabolomics data to create a massive database, Venter explained in a media briefing. HLI said the financing came from a small group of private investors. Though it didn’t disclose the names of those investors, The New York Times reported today that Illumina was among the backers.

Venter said the initial financing should keep the company going for about 18 months. HLI is building a long-term facility in San Diego that will be completed in about a year, Venter said, and it is currently in temporary facilities.

The firm plans to license data and knowledge to pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms and universities for their own research programs, while developing new therapeutics and diagnostics and providing sequencing services.

The company has already bought two Illumina HiSeq X Ten Sequencing Systems, and has inked an option to buy three more. It plans to sequence up to 40,000 human genomes per year initially and ramp up to 100,000 per year. HLI said it will conduct the first clinical project to include germ line, human genome, and tumor genome sequencing, along with a range of other types of information from each patient.

As part of its efforts, HLI has struck an agreement with Metabolon, under which the NC-based firm will provide biochemical profiling of the genomic samples that HLI collects.

Venter is co-founder, executive chairman and CEO of HLI, which also has agreed to a research services collaboration with the J. Craig Venter Institute, of which he is founder and CEO. That alliance will cover proteomics, infectious disease diagnostics, and the human microbiome.

The company said that it will tackle cancer first. Every patient at the UCSD Moores Cancer Center will have the opportunity to have their genome, microbiome, and tumors sequenced and analyzed as part of their treatment, said Venter. Other diseases of interest include diabetes, obesity, heart and liver diseases, and dementia.

Venter noted that 13 years ago it cost around $100 million and took nine months to sequence his genome, but now that cost has dropped to around $1,000 per genome.

“We are scaling up to do tens of thousands of genomes in the same time frame that it took to do one,” he said.

Through its agreement with HLI, Metabolon will characterize 2,400 chemicals in the bloodstream of 10,000 of the initial patients.

Venter said HLI plans to try to layer “the chemical data with the microbiome data, the human genome data, and most importantly the human phenotype data. We will be importing clinical records of every individual we are sequencing, so this will be one of the largest data studies in the history of science and medicine.”

“Hopefully,” Venter said, within 10 years HLI will “have data from half a million to a million human genomes, and the phenotype data, clinical data, and outcome data associated with that.”

“I view this as just the beginning, a starting point of this new field that some of us have been waiting for for a very long time, following on the first human genome 13 years ago,” he said.

Among Venter’s ventures is Synthetic Genomics, a genomics and synthetic biology firm of which he is a co-founder, chairman, CEO, and co-CSO. Though HLI didn’t say specifically that it would collaborate with Synthetic Genomics, according to a FAQ sheet on its website, it plans to use “synthetic biology advances to repair and repopulate a patient’s depleted and degraded stem cell population, returning those cells to a more healthy and youthful state.”

In addition to Venter, HLI’s two other co-founders are Peter Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the X Prize Foundation and co-founder and executive chairman of Singularity University, and stem cell biology researcher and entrepreneur Robert Hariri, who also will serve as company vice chairman.

J Craig Venter wants to digitize DNA and transmit the signal to teleport organisms

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/11/01/j-craig-venter-wants-to-digitize-dna-and-transmit-the-signal-to-teleport-organisms/

Life Sciences Circle Event: Next omics – Personalized Medicine beyond Genomics, December 11, 2013 5:30-8:30PM, The Broad Institute, Cambridge

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/11/18/life-sciences-circle-event-next-omics-personalized-medicine-beyond-genomics-december-11-2013-530-830pm-the-broad-institute-cambridge/

2013 Genomics: The Era Beyond the Sequencing of the Human Genome: Francis Collins, Craig Venter, Eric Lander, et al.

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/02/11/2013-genomics-the-era-beyond-the-sequencing-human-genome-francis-collins-craig-venter-eric-lander-et-al/

Synthetic Biology: On Advanced Genome Interpretation for Gene Variants and Pathways: What is the Genetic Base of Atherosclerosis and Loss of Arterial Elasticity with Aging

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/05/17/synthetic-biology-on-advanced-genome-interpretation-for-gene-variants-and-pathways-what-is-the-genetic-base-of-atherosclerosis-and-loss-of-arterial-elasticity-with-aging/

Scientific Innovation: as Influenced by Academia, Publishing Requirements and the Academic Publishing Industry

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/03/05/scientific-innovation-as-influenced-by-academia-publishing-requirements-and-the-academic-publishing-industry/

Fourth Annual QPrize Competition to Fund the World’s Next Groundbreaking Startups by Qualcomm Ventures

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/02/09/fourth-annual-qprize-competition-to-fund-the-worlds-next-groundbreaking-startups-by-qualcomm-ventures/

Cancer Genomics – Leading the Way by Cancer Genomics Program at UC Santa Cruz

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/10/29/cancer-genomics-leading-the-way-by-cancer-genomics-program-at-uc-santa-cruz/

Research Paradigm Shift in Human Genomics – Predictive Biomarkers and Personalized Medicine

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/13/paradigm-shift-in-human-genomics-predictive-biomarkers-and-personalized-medicine-part-1/

LEADERS in the Competitive Space of Genome Sequencing of Genetic Mutations for Therapeutic Drug Selection in Cancer Personalized Treatment

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/13/leaders-in-genome-sequencing-of-genetic-mutations-for-therapeutic-drug-selection-in-cancer-personalized-treatment-part-2/

Personalized Medicine: An Institute Profile – Coriell Institute for Medical Research

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/13/personalized-medicine-an-institute-profile-coriell-institute-for-medical-research-part-3/

The Consumer Market for Personal DNA Sequencing

Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/13/consumer-market-for-personal-dna-sequencing-part-4/

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Regeneration: Cardiac System (cardiomyogenesis) and Vasculature (angiogenesis)

Author and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

UPDATED on 4/8/2014

Stem-Cell Therapy for Ischemic Heart Failure: Clinical Trial MSC Demonstrates Efficacy

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/04/08/stem-cell-therapy-for-ischemic-heart-failure-clinical-trial-msc-demonstrates-efficacy/ 

This article represents the FRONTIER on Cardiac Regeneration as developed by Anthony Rosenzweig in Science 338, 1549 (2012).

Point #1: Current Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Diseases and Heart Failure

Point #2: Dynamic model for the Adult heart capacity for cardiomyogenesis to compensate for losses occurring in heart failure: recognition of even limited regenerative capacity in the heart 

Point #3: Results of Multiple Cell Therapy Clinical Trials

Point #4:  The Endogenous Regeneration Potential

Point #5: On pathways regulating cardiomyocyte regeneration in animal models

Point #6: Prof. A. Rosenzweig’s Summary and His Future Outlook of Cardiac Regeneration

This article represents a continuation of the following articles on this topic that were published in this Open Access Online Scientific Journal:

Bernstein HL and A. Lev-Ari 1/14/2014 Circulating Endothelial Progenitors Cells (cEPCs) as Biomarkers

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2014/01/14/circulating-endothelial-progenitors-cells-as-biomarkers/

Lev-Ari, A. 2/28/2013 The Heart: Vasculature Protection – A Concept-based Pharmacological Therapy including THYMOSIN

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/02/28/the-heart-vasculature-protection-a-concept-based-pharmacological-therapy-including-thymosin/

Lev-Ari, A. 2/27/2013 Arteriogenesis and Cardiac Repair: Two Biomaterials – Injectable Thymosin beta4 and Myocardial Matrix Hydrogel

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/02/27/arteriogenesis-and-cardiac-repair-two-biomaterials-injectable-thymosin-beta4-and-myocardial-matrix-hydrogel/

Lev-Ari, A. 11/13/2012 Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-gamma) Receptors Activation: PPARγ transrepression for Angiogenesis in Cardiovascular Disease and PPARγ transactivation for Treatment of Diabetes

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/11/13/peroxisome-proliferator-activated-receptor-ppar-gamma-receptors-activation-pparγ-transrepression-for-angiogenesis-in-cardiovascular-disease-and-pparγ-transactivation-for-treatment-of-dia/

Lev-Ari, A. 8/29/2012 Positioning a Therapeutic Concept for Endogenous Augmentation of cEPCs — Therapeutic Indications for Macrovascular Disease: Coronary, Cerebrovascular and Peripheral

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/29/positioning-a-therapeutic-concept-for-endogenous-augmentation-of-cepcs-therapeutic-indications-for-macrovascular-disease-coronary-cerebrovascular-and-peripheral/

Lev-Ari, A. 8/28/2012 Cardiovascular Outcomes: Function of circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells (cEPCs): Exploring Pharmaco-therapy targeted at Endogenous Augmentation of cEPCs

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/28/cardiovascular-outcomes-function-of-circulating-endothelial-progenitor-cells-cepcs-exploring-pharmaco-therapy-targeted-at-endogenous-augmentation-of-cepcs/

Lev-Ari, A. 8/27/2012 Endothelial Dysfunction, Diminished Availability of cEPCs, Increasing CVD Risk for Macrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/27/endothelial-dysfunction-diminished-availability-of-cepcs-increasing-cvd-risk-for-macrovascular-disease-therapeutic-potential-of-cepcs/

Lev-Ari, A. 8/24/2012 Vascular Medicine and Biology: CLASSIFICATION OF FAST ACTING THERAPY FOR PATIENTS AT HIGH RISK FOR MACROVASCULAR EVENTS Macrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/08/24/vascular-medicine-and-biology-classification-of-fast-acting-therapy-for-patients-at-high-risk-for-macrovascular-events-macrovascular-disease-therapeutic-potential-of-cepcs/

Lev-Ari, A. 7/19/2012 Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and the Role of agent alternatives in endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS) Activation and Nitric Oxide Production

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/19/cardiovascular-disease-cvd-and-the-role-of-agent-alternatives-in-endothelial-nitric-oxide-synthase-enos-activation-and-nitric-oxide-production/

Lev-Ari, A. 4/30/2012 Resident-cell-based Therapy in Human Ischaemic Heart Disease: Evolution in the PROMISE of Thymosin beta4 for Cardiac Repair

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/04/30/93/

Lev-Ari, A. 7/2/2012 Macrovascular Disease – Therapeutic Potential of cEPCs: Reduction Methods for CV Risk

http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/07/02/macrovascular-disease-therapeutic-potential-of-cepcs-reduction-methods-for-cv-risk/

This article represent the FRONTIER on Cardiac Regeneration as developed by Anthony Rosenzweig in Science 338, 1549 (2012).

Prof. A. Rosenzweig is with the Cardiovascular Division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA. E-mail: arosenzw@bidmc.harvard.edu

In the United States, heart failure afflicts about 6 million people (1), costs $34.4 billion each year (2), and is now the single most common discharge diagnosis in those over 65 (3). Although enormous progress has been made in managing acute cardiovascular illnesses such as heart attacks, many patients go on to develop late sequelae of their disease, including heart failure and arrhythmia. Thus, the growing number of these patients in some ways represents a burden of our success. It also reflects the incomplete success of most current therapies, which mitigate and manage but do not cure the disease.

Point #1: Current Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Diseases and Heart Failure include:

  • Beta-blockers
  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and
  • Mineralocorticoid antagonists – in congestive heart failure, they are used in addition to other drugs for additive diuretic effect, which reduces edema and the cardiac workload, and Potassium-sparing diuretics are diuretic drugs that do not promote the secretion of potassium into the urine

These medicines block pathways that are likely compensatory initially but become progressively more maladaptive, thus, prognosis and quality of life remain poor for many heart failure patients.

Point #2: Dynamic model for the Adult heart capacity for cardiomyogenesis to compensate for losses occurring in heart failure: recognition of even limited regenerative capacity in the heart

  • The heart has some endogenous regenerative potential
  • New cardiomyocytes may arise from existing cardiomyocytes  and from
  • Progenitor or stem cells

Point #3: Results of Multiple Cell Therapy Clinical Trials

  • the largest randomized trial thus far— the REPAIR-AMI trial which delivered unfractionated bone marrow cells (BMCs) to patients after a heart attack—as well as
  • a recent meta-analysis of 50 similar trials enrolling 2625 patients (16) suggest that adverse clinical events may actually be less common in BMC-treated patients
  • Autologous BMCs are by far the most common cells used to date but have yielded mixed results. Two recent trials report results with heart-derived donor cells are summariezed, below.  Although both of these studies break new conceptual ground, it is still too early to know how these approaches will hold up in larger studies or impact clinical outcomes, and whether heart-derived cells will have demonstrable advantages over other cell types.

1. The SCIPIO trial targeted patients with cardiac dysfunction undergoing bypass surgery for subsequent delivery of c-kit–positive cells derived from heart tissue harvested at surgery. In interim analyses, cardiac function was substantially better at 4 months in the 14 cell-treated patients available for comparison to seven control patients.

2. In CADUCEUS, autologous cells derived from cardiospheres grown from cardiac biopsies (CDCs) were delivered to patients randomized after myocardial infarction to receive CDCs or usual care. In this trial, although overall heart function was not significantly improved by cell treatment, scar (determined by magnetic resonance imaging) was reduced at 6 and 12 months in the 17 CDC-treated patients but unchanged in the eight control patients.

Point #4:  The Endogenous Regeneration Potential

  • Donor cells have often been selected for their apparent ability to form new cardiomyocytes, the limited clinical data available suggest that relatively few of the donor cells may remain in the heart (20).
  • Other benefits of the cells or molecules delivered with them could include enhanced angiogenesis, cardiomyocyte survival, or endogenous regeneration.
  • The success or failure of cardiovascular cell therapy will ultimately depend on its ability to improve clinical outcomes whatever the mechanisms, and advocates argue that
  • the donor cells may provide a particularly potent mixture of salutary effects. However,
  • the complex and sometimes heterogeneous cell preparations being infused make standardization and reconciling discrepant results particularly challenging. It seems likely that
  • identification and purification of the essential cellular and molecular components mediating any observed benefits will ultimately provide the most effective, safe, and consistent approach.

Point #5: On pathways regulating cardiomyocyte regeneration in animal models

  • Recent work has begun to elucidate the settings and pathways regulating cardiomyocyte regeneration in animal models. Porrello et al. demonstrated a remarkable though transient regenerative capacity of the neonatal murine heart (14), and
  • related studies have begun to define the signaling mechanisms leading to withdrawal of cardiomyocytes from the cell cycle (21).
  • The Hippo pathway is a potent negative regulator of Wnt signaling and cardiomyocyte proliferation (22), which also intersects via Yap with insulin growth factor I (IGF-I) signaling (23).
  • How effectively these pathways can be coopted to promote regeneration after injury is of great interest.
  • Individual pathways may also have multiple effects.
  • Huang et al. ( 24) demonstrate that C/EBP inhibition, previously implicated in exercise-induced cardiac growth and possible cardiomyogenesis (25), also reduces ischemic injury by mitigating inflammation. In addition to
  • Endogenous pathways, reprogramming resident nonprogenitor cells such as fibroblasts through gene delivery has generated contractile cardiomyocyte-like cells (26, 27) that mitigate scar formation and improve function after heart attacks in mice (28).
  • These promising developments have yet to be translated clinically but could provide a path to cardiac repair that obviates the need for exogenous cells.

Point #6: Prof. A. Rosenzweig’s Summary and His Future Outlook of Cardiac Regeneration

  • We are still relatively early in the development of new approaches to cardiovascular disease. It will be some time before we know the conclusion of what will likely be a long and challenging road ahead.
  • Almost as challenging is conveying to patients and policymakers an appropriate perspective that balances unmitigated enthusiasm for the scientific discoveries, cautious optimism for the broader implications, and humble acknowledgment that though even the most appealing ideas may fail, there is only one way to find out.

REFERENCES and NOTES in  Science 338, 1549 (2012).

1. V. L. Roger et al., Circulation 125, e2 (2012).

2. CDC (2012), http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_

sheets/docs/fs_heart_failure.pdf

3. C. J. DeFrances, M. N. Podgornik, Adv. Data 371, 1

(2006).

4. T. E. Owan et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 355, 251 (2006).

5. R. S. Bhatia et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 355, 260 (2006).

6. J. Narula et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 335, 1182 (1996).

7. G. Olivetti et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 336, 1131 (1997).

8. A. P. Beltrami et al., Cell 114, 763 (2003).

9. K. Bersell, S. Arab, B. Haring, B. Kühn, Cell 138, 257

(2009).

10. P. C. H. Hsieh et al., Nat. Med. 13, 970 (2007).

11. O. Bergmann et al., Science 324, 98 (2009).

12. J. Kajstura et al., Circ. Res. 107, 305 (2010).

13. K. Kikuchi et al., Nature 464, 601 (2010).

14. E. R. Porrello et al., Science 331, 1078 (2011).

15. V. Schächinger et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 355, 1210 (2006).

16. V. Jeevanantham et al., Circulation 126, 551 (2012).

17. A. Rosenzweig, N. Engl. J. Med. 355, 1274 (2006).

18. R. Bolli et al., Lancet 378, 1847 (2011).

19. R. R. Makkar et al., Lancet 379, 895 (2012).

20. M. Hofmann et al., Circulation 111, 2198 (2005).

21. E. R. Porrello et al., Circ. Res. 109, 670 (2011).

22. T. Heallen et al., Science 332, 458 (2011).

23. M. Xin et al., Sci. Signal. 4, ra70 (2011).

24. G. N. Huang et al., Science 338, 1599 (2012);

10.1126/science.1229765.

25. P. Boström et al., Cell 143, 1072 (2010).

26. M. Ieda et al., Cell 142, 375 (2010).

27. L. Qian et al., Nature 485, 593 (2012).

28. K. Song et al., Nature 485, 599 (2012).

 

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Genomics and Medicine: The Physician’s View

Genomics and Medicine: The Physician’s View

Author and Curator: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP

 

Genomics has had a rapid growth of research into variability of human genetics in both healthy populations in the study of population migration, and in the study of genetic sequence alterations that may increase the risk of expressed human disease.  This is the case for cardiology, cancer, inflammtory conditions, and gastrointestinal diseases. For the most part, genomics research in the last decade has shed light on potential therapeutic targets, but the identification of drug toxicities in late phase trials has been associated with a 70 percent failure rate in bringing new drugs to the market.   Despite good technologies for investigative studies, initial work is carried out on animals and then the transferrability of the work from a “model” to man has to be assured.  That is the first issue of concern.

Secondly, there is a well considered reluctance on the part of experienced and well prepared physicians to be “early” adopters to newly introduced drugs, with the apprehension that unidentified clinical problems can be expected to be unmasked.  It is, however, easier to consider when a new drug belongs to an established class of medications, and it has removed known adverse effects.  In this case, the adverse effects are known side effects, but not necessarily serious drug reactions that would preclude use.

A third consideration is the cost of drug development, and the cost of development is passed on to the healthcare organization in the purchasing cost. We can rest assured that the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Review Committee will not cease meeting on a regular schedule anytime soon.  Further, how do the drug failures become embedded in the cost of the pharmaceutical budget passed on to the recipient.  Historically, insurance is an actuarial discipline.  But in the lifetime of an individual, they are bound to see a physician for acute or chronic medical attention.  Only the timing cannot be predicted.  As a result, dealing with the valid introduction of new medications is a big concern for both the public and the private insurer.

How does this compute for the physician provider.  The practice of medicine is not quickly adaptive, as the physician’s primary concern is to do no harm.   Genomics testing is not widely available, and it is for the most part not definitive for diagnostic purposes as things stand today.  It may provide assessment of risk, or of survival expectation.  The physician uses a step by step assessment, using the patient and family history, a focused physical exam, laboratory and radiology, proceeding to other more specialized exams.  Much of the laboratory testing is based on the appearance in the circulation of changes in blood chemistry of the nature of electrolytes, circulating cells in the blood and of the blood forming organ, proteins, urea and uric acid.  They are not exquisitely sensitive, but they might be sufficient for their abnormal concentrations appearing at the time the patient presents with a complaint. What tests are ordered is determioned by a need for relevant information to make a medical decision.

The relevant questions are:

1. acuity of symptoms and signs.
2. actions to be taken.
3. tests that are needed to clarify the examination findings.

once a provisional diagnosis is obtained, referrals, additional testing, and medication orders are provided based on the assessment.

Where does genetic testing fit into this? At this point, it will only be used

  1. to confirm a restricted list of diagnoses that have a high association with the condition, and
  2. only with the participation of a medical geneticist, when
  3. profiling the patient and other members of the family is required.

10d0de1 Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci

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Curation, HealthCare System in the US, and Calcium Signaling Effects on Cardiac Contraction, Heart Failure, and Atrial Fibrillation, and the Relationship of Calcium Release at the Myoneural Junction to Beta Adrenergic Release

Curation, HealthCare System in the US, and Calcium Signaling Effects on Cardiac Contraction, Heart Failure, and Atrial Fibrillation, and the Relationship of Calcium Release at the Myoneural Junction to Beta Adrenergic Release

Curator and e-book Contributor: Larry H. Bernstein, MD, FCAP
Curator and BioMedicine e-Series Editor-in-Chief: Aviva Lev Ari, PhD, RN

and 

Content Consultant to Six-Volume e-SERIES A: Cardiovascular Diseases: Justin Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC

This portion summarises what we have covered and is now familiar to the reader.  There are three related topics, and an extension of this embraces other volumes and chapters before and after this reading.  This approach to the document has advantages over the multiple authored textbooks that are and have been pervasive as a result of the traditional publication technology.  It has been stated by the founder of ScoopIt, that amount of time involved is considerably less than required for the original publications used, but the organization and construction is a separate creative process.  In these curations we amassed on average five articles in one curation, to which, two or three curators contributed their views.  There were surprises, and there were unfulfilled answers along the way.  The greatest problem that is being envisioned is the building a vision that bridges and unmasks the hidden “dark matter” between the now declared “OMICS”, to get a more real perspective on what is conjecture and what is actionable.  This is in some respects unavoidable because the genome is an alphabet that is matched to the mino acid sequences of proteins, which themselves are three dimensional drivers of sequences of metabolic reactions that can be altered by the accumulation of substrates in critical placements, and in addition, the proteome has functional proteins whose activity is a regulatory function and not easily identified.  In the end, we have to have a practical conception, recognizing the breadth of evolutionary change, and make sense of what we have, while searching for more.

We introduced the content as follows:

1. We introduce the concept of curation in the digital context, and it’s application to medicine and related scientific discovery.

Topics were chosen were used to illustrate this process in the form of a pattern, which is mostly curation, but is significantly creative, as it emerges in the context of this e-book.

  • Alternative solutions in Treatment of Heart Failure (HF), medical devices, biomarkers and agent efficacy is handled all in one chapter.
  • PCI for valves vs Open heart Valve replacement
  • PDA and Complications of Surgery — only curation could create the picture of this unique combination of debate, as exemplified of Endarterectomy (CEA) vs Stenting the Carotid Artery (CAS), ischemic leg, renal artery stenosis.

2. The etiology, or causes, of cardiovascular diseases consist of mechanistic explanations for dysfunction relating to the heart or vascular system. Every one of a long list of abnormalities has a path that explains the deviation from normal. With the completion of the analysis of the human genome, in principle all of the genetic basis for function and dysfunction are delineated. While all genes are identified, and the genes code for all the gene products that constitute body functions, there remains more unknown than known.

3. Human genome, and in combination with improved imaging methods, genomics offers great promise in changing the course of disease and aging.

4. If we tie together Part 1 and Part 2, there is ample room for considering clinical outcomes based on individual and organizational factors for best performance. This can really only be realized with considerable improvement in information infrastructure, which has miles to go.

Curation

Curation is an active filtering of the web’s  and peer reviewed literature found by such means – immense amount of relevant and irrelevant content. As a result content may be disruptive. However, in doing good curation, one does more than simply assign value by presentation of creative work in any category. Great curators comment and share experience across content, authors and themes.
Great curators may see patterns others don’t, or may challenge or debate complex and apparently conflicting points of view.  Answers to specifically focused questions comes from the hard work of many in laboratory settings creatively establishing answers to definitive questions, each a part of the larger knowledge-base of reference. There are those rare “Einstein’s” who imagine a whole universe, unlike the three blindmen of the Sufi tale.  One held the tail, the other the trunk, the other the ear, and they all said this is an elephant!
In my reading, I learn that the optimal ratio of curation to creation may be as high as 90% curation to 10% creation. Creating content is expensive. Curation, by comparison, is much less expensive.  The same source says “Scoop.it is my content marketing testing “sandbox”. In sharing, he says that comments provide the framework for what and how content is shared.

Healthcare and Affordable Care Act

We enter year 2014 with the Affordable Care Act off to a slow start because of the implementation of the internet signup requiring a major repair, which is, unfortunately, as expected for such as complex job across the US, and with many states unwilling to participate.  But several states – California, Connecticut, and Kentucky – had very effective state designed signups, separate from the federal system.  There has been a very large rush and an extension to sign up. There are many features that we can take note of:

1. The healthcare system needed changes because we have the most costly system, are endowed with advanced technology, and we have inexcusable outcomes in several domains of care, including, infant mortality, and prenatal care – but not in cardiology.

2. These changes that are notable are:

  • The disparities in outcome are magnified by a large disparity in highest to lowest income bracket.
  • This is also reflected in educational status, and which plays out in childhood school lunches, and is also affected by larger class size and cutbacks in school programs.
  • This is not  helped by a large paralysis in the two party political system and the three legs of government unable to deal with work and distraction.
  • Unemployment is high, and the banking and home construction, home buying, and rental are in realignment, but interest rates are problematic.

3.  The  medical care system is affected by the issues above, but the complexity is not to be discounted.

  •  The medical schools are unable at this time to provide the influx of new physicians needed, so we depend on a major influx of physicians from other countries
  • The technology for laboratories, proteomic and genomic as well as applied medical research is rejuvenating the practice in cardiology more rapidly than any other field.
  • In fields that are imaging related the life cycle of instruments is shorter than the actual lifetime use of the instruments, which introduces a shortening of ROI.
  • Hospitals are consolidating into large consortia in order to maintain a more viable system for referral of specialty cases, and also is centralizing all terms of business related to billing.
  • There is reduction in independent physician practices that are being incorporated into the hospital enterprise with Part B billing under the Physician Organization – as in Partners in Greater Boston, with the exception of “concierge” medical practices.
  • There is consolidation of specialty laboratory services within state, with only the most specialized testing going out of state (Quest, LabCorp, etc.)
  • Medicaid is expanded substantially under the new ACA.
  • The federal government as provider of services is reducing the number of contractors for – medical devices, diabetes self-testing, etc.
  • The current rearrangements seeks to provide a balance between capital expenses and fixed labor costs that it can control, reduce variable costs (reagents, pharmaceutical), and to take in more patients with less delay and better performance – defined by outside agencies.

Cardiology, Genomics, and calcium ion signaling and ion-channels in cardiomyocyte function in health and disease – including heart failure, rhythm abnormalities, and the myoneural release of neurotransmitter at the vesicle junction.

This portion is outlined as follows:

2.1 Human Genome: Congenital Etiological Sources of Cardiovascular Disease

2.2 The Role of Calcium in Health and Disease

2.3 Vasculature and Myocardium: Diagnosing the Conditions of Disease

Genomics & Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease Diagnoses

actin cytoskeleton

wall stress, ventricular workload, contractile reserve

Genetic Base of Atherosclerosis and Loss of Arterial Elasticity with Aging

calcium and actin skeleton, signaling, cell motility

hypertension & vascular compliance

Genetics of Conduction Disease

Ca+ stimulated exostosis: calmodulin & PKC (neurotransmitter)

complications & MVR

disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis cardiac & vascular smooth muscle

synaptotagmin as Ca2+ sensor & vesicles

atherosclerosis & ion channels


It is increasingly clear that there are mutations that underlie many human diseases, and this is true of the cardiovascular system.  The mutations are mistakes in the insertion of a purine nucleotide, which may or may not have any consequence.  This is why the associations that are being discovered in research require careful validation, and even require demonstration in “models” before pursuing the design of pharmacological “target therapy”.  The genomics in cardiovascular disease involves very serious congenital disorders that are asserted early in life, but the effects of and development of atherosclerosis involving large and medium size arteries has a slow progression and is not dominated by genomic expression.  This is characterized by loss of arterial elasticity. In addition there is the development of heart failure, which involves the cardiomyocyte specifically.  The emergence of regenerative medical interventions, based on pleuripotent inducible stem cell therapy is developing rapidly as an intervention in this sector.

Finally, it is incumbent on me to call attention to the huge contribution that research on calcium (Ca2+) signaling has made toward the understanding of cardiac contraction and to the maintenance of the heart rhythm.  The heart is a syncytium, different than skeletal and smooth muscle, and the innervation is by the vagus nerve, which has terminal endings at vesicles which discharge at the myocyte junction.  The heart specifically has calmodulin kinase CaMK II, and it has been established that calmodulin is involved in the calcium spark that triggers contraction.  That is only part of the story.  Ion transport occurs into or out of the cell, the latter termed exostosis.  Exostosis involves CaMK II and pyruvate kinase (PKC), and they have independent roles.  This also involves K+-Na+-ATPase.  The cytoskeleton is also discussed, but the role of aquaporin in water transport appears elsewhere, as the transport of water between cells.  When we consider the Gibbs-Donnan equilibrium, which precedes the current work by a century, we recall that there is an essential balance between extracellular Na+ + Ca2+ and the intracellular K+ + Mg2+, and this has been superceded by an incompletely defined relationship between ions that are cytoplasmic and those that are mitochondrial.  The glass is half full!

 

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