Introduction Inflammation plays an important role in both atherosclerotic plaque progression and rupture [1], which has led to an interest in treatments with anti-inflammatory effects. To assess and monitor inflammation in vivo, dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI has been previously demonstrated [2]. Kinetic parameters derived from DCE-MRI, including the transfer constant (K) and partial plasm...

BACKGROUND Intracranial atherosclerosis is a leading cause of stroke, but little is known about the composition of the intracranial atherosclerotic lesion and how intracranial plaque morphology is related to the risk of stroke. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR MRI) has been used in patients with extracranial carotid atherosclerosis as an in vivo tool to identify, with high-interra...

OBJECTIVE Although matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) has been implicated in atherosclerotic plaque instability, the exact role it plays in the plaque development and progression remains largely unknown. We generated apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient (apoE-/-) MMP-9-deficient (MMP-9-/-) mice to determine the mechanisms and the main cell source of MMP-9 responsible for the plaque composition dur...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Evidence is accumulating that infection with influenza A virus contributes to atherothrombotic disease. Vaccination against influenza decreases the risk of atherosclerotic syndromes, indicating that inflammatory mechanisms may be involved. We tested the hypothesis that influenza A virus-specific T cells contribute to atherosclerotic plaque inflammation, which mediates the...

Background: Total cholesterol content of erythrocyte membranes plays a critical role in atherosclerotic plaque progression and instability. Several homoeopathic medicines are known to have significant the control hyperlipidaemia. Colchicum autumnale is plant remedy used mainly for gout, but also

BACKGROUND Tortuous arteries are often seen in patients with hypertension and atherosclerosis. While the mechanical stress in atherosclerotic plaque under lumen pressure has been studied extensively, the mechanical stability of atherosclerotic arteries and subsequent effect on the plaque stress remain unknown. To this end, we investigated the buckling and post-buckling behavior of model stenoti...

OBJECTIVES This study was designed to evaluate whether calcium deposition in the coronary arteries is related to atherosclerotic plaque burden and narrowing of the arterial lumen. BACKGROUND Many studies have recently documented the feasibility of electron beam computed tomography to detect and quantify coronary artery calcification in patients. Although these studies suggest a general relati...