new study identifies a possible new function for endostatin, the potential cancer-killer that checks blood vessel growth. Within the developing kidney, endostatin may help regulate the branching that establishes the network of urine-collecting tubules. Cells in the ureteric bud divide and change shape to form the plumbing system of the kidney. Because endostatin inhibits blood vessel formation,...

background: several echocardiographic markers have been introduced to assess the left ventricular (lv) mechanical dyssynchrony. we studied dyssynchrony markers and the latest lv activation site in heart failure patients with and without left bundle branch block (lbbb). methods: conventional echocardiography and tissue velocity imaging were performed for 78 patients (lv ejection fraction ≤ 35%),...

background: isolated right bundle branch block (rbbb) is a common finding in the general population. the atrioventricular node (avn) artery contributes to the blood supply of the right bundle branch. our hypothesis was that the anatomy of the avn artery and the pattern of dominancy differ between subjects with and without rbbb. methods: w e retrospectively studied the coronary angiography of 92...

background: small side branches, albeit less important than their larger counterparts, have not yet received due attention in the literature. nor has there ever been a comparison between drug-eluting stents and bare metal stents apropos side branch occlusion . the aim of this study was to compare the patency of small (≥0.5 and ≤1.5 mm in diameter) side branches with respect to bare metal vs. dr...