Recently, various serum markers have been used for the diagnosis and prognosis of acute heart diseases in emergency departments. Thus, the present study was designed and conducted to determine such a role. This is an Analytical Cross-Sectional study conducted on the patients with syncope complaints. The patients were entered the study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were subjected to initial evaluations including history, physical examination, ECG, blood sugar measurement, and, if necessary, brain CT scan, Doppler echocardiography, and CTA. A hundred people complaining of syncope were included in this study. The results showed that 19% and 81% of the subjects were suffering from cardiac and non-cardiac syncope, respectively. The average Pro BNP of the studied individuals was 196.06 ± 128.45 pg/ml. according to the results, age and length of hospitalization had a positive and significant relationship with the average Pro BNP (P value<0.01). Furthermore, the average Pro BNP was significantly higher in the people with positive TPI, cardiac syncope, and abnormalities in ECG and Doppler findings (P value<0.01). The results of the diagnostic value of Pro BNP in identifying cardiac syncope also showed that its sensitivity and specificity were 94.73% and 56.79%, respectively. The results of this study showed that the increase in the Pro BNP values was associated with age, increased length of hospitalization, and ECG abnormalities. In addition, as an independent marker, Pro BNP had good acceptability in identifying cardiac syncope cases.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) reports, cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death worldwide. Cardiac hypertrophy is associated with underlying disorders such as diabetes and hypertension. Cardiac hypertrophy is characterized by an increase in the size of cardiomyocytes, high cardiac expression of fetal genes, excessive protein synthesis, and interstitial fibrosis, leading to contractile dysfunction and heart failure. Various mediators, such as cytokines, adhesion molecules, cytoskeleton proteins, adrenergic system activity, natriuretic peptides, changes in energy metabolism, and oxidative stress, are involved in the induction of cardiac hypertrophy. Regarding the clinical importance of cardiac hypertrophy, the development of animal models may culminate in progress in finding novel therapeutic methods for improving heart failure and reducing cardiac disorders. Diabetic models with cardiac hypertrophy can be induced by high-fat/high-sugar diets, toxins such as streptozotocin, and genetic manipulation through induced mutation of leptin or leptin receptor genes. Diet-induced and mutation-induced diabetic models are more likely to show cardiac hypertrophy, while diet-induced diabetic models are particularly suitable for research on lifestyle-related diabetes in humans. Nevertheless, the findings obtained from animal models evaluating diabetic-induced hypertrophy in humans have limitations that require further research to develop new animal models.

This study aimed to assess ophthalmic artery Doppler in combination with N-terminal prohormone of Brain Natriuretic Peptide in the prediction of pre-eclampsia (PE) at 28-32 weeks’ gestation.

This is a prospective study on singleton pregnant women who were referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital for routine pregnancy care at the gestational age of 28 to 32 weeks from June 2023 to June 2024. The mother's demographic information, medical history, bilateral ophthalmic artery Doppler, and NT-proBNP levels were recorded. Area under the curve (AUC) and logistic regression models were used to analyze the data.

Resuls:

 One hundred sixty pregnant women with a gestational age of 28-32 weeks were included, and 36 (22.5%) of them developed PE. The averages of PSV ratio in the PE pregnancies were 0.60±0.12, and in the normal pregnancies were 0.75±0.09. The average PSV ratio in the PE pregnancies was significantly higher than in normal pregnancies (P< 0.001). Also, the average PSV2 in PE pregnancies was significantly higher than in normal pregnancies (P < 0.015). The frequency of fetus death was higher in the PE pregnancies (P = 0.041). The ROC curve for PSV ratio in the prediction of PE showed that 0.69 was the best cut-off value of PR (sensitivity 0.83; specificity 0.81). The regression model for the development of PE revealed a significant association only with the PSV ratio (p = 0.016).

 At 28–32 weeks of pregnancy, the ophthalmic artery PSV ratio was found to be helpful in predicting future PE development, especially preterm PE. It could be valid on its own or in combination with other biomarkers. The mean of NT-proBNP in PE pregnancies was higher than in normal pregnancies. However, the differences were insignificant, and this insignificant difference in this study may be related to differences in the evaluation of participants during gestation weeks and differences in population samples between studies. More studies are needed to assess this biomarker in combination with ophthalmic artery Doppler to predict PE.

Acute heart failure is a common clinical syndrome leading to hospital admission, with few evidence-based therapies for managing congestion. This trial aims to assess the efficacy of acetazolamide combined with loop diuretics in achieving decongestion among patients who fail to respond to oral diuretics and progress to acute decompensated heart failure in the absence of injectable furosemide.

This single-center, double-blind randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio aims to evaluate 130 patients admitted to the infusion ward. Participants will receive standard furosemide treatment and be randomized to either oral acetazolamide (250 mg twice daily) or placebo for 3 consecutive days. The primary objective is to assess the efficacy of combined oral acetazolamide and furosemide therapy in achieving decongestion. The prespecified secondary outcomes include the following: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels on day 30, readmission rates within 3 months, health-related quality of life as assessed by the Heart Failure Quality of Life Questionnaire at 3 months, and changes in weight, creatinine levels, urinary sodium excretion, potassium levels, and hematological indices from the complete blood count on day 3 of the trial.

Diuretic resistance commonly occurs in patients with heart failure, underscoring the urgent need for innovative interventions that can effectively address the limitations of current diuretics, including diuretic resistance and electrolyte imbalances, while enhancing their efficacy in this patient population.

Research has shown that inflammation is an important factor in atherosclerosis. New markers of heart diseases such as natriuretic peptide-B (BNP) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) during inflammation from atherosclerotic lesions, monocytes, macrophages and endothelium of heart patients; it is secreted and plays an essential role in heart attack patients. The present research has investigated the effect of a session of physical activity and early electrical stimulation on some inflammatory markers of infarcted rats.

In this controlled experimental study with a control group, 50 rats with an average weight of 210±20 g were randomly divided into five groups including healthy, infarcted, physical activity, electrical stimulation, and physical activity + electrical stimulation. The intervention groups underwent physical activity on a treadmill (with a speed of 10 to 18 m/min for one hour) and electrical stimulation (with a foot shock device for 0.5 mA and 20 minutes) for one session. Then, immediately after the intervention, the serum levels of the variables were checked by ELISA method. Data analysis was done with one-way ANOVA test at p<0.05 significance.

Induction of infarction indicated a significant increase in the serum levels of BNP and OPG (p=0.0001 and p=0.001 respectively). Moreover, acute physical activity and its combination with electrical stimulation had no significant effect on BNP values ​​(p=0.39) and OPG serum concentration was not affected by acute physical activity (p=0.42); but OPG levels in electrical stimulation groups showed a significant decrease as compared to acute physical activity (p=0.02).

It seems that early electrical stimulation alone and along with acute physical activity, by reducing the concentration of BNP and OPG, has no effect on the recovery process of heart markers and needs more study.

To predict the risk for diastolic dysfunction on admission and assess repetitive cardiac function during the follow-up of individuals diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C).

This prospective, single-center study comprises patients who were divided into two groups: Mitral E/e'≥8 and mitral E/e' < 8 on the first admission. During follow-up, patients underwent repeated echocardiography (on the first admission and at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months post-procedure) between December 2020 and June 2022.

Among the 92 patients included in this study, 32 are females. Procalcitonin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, B-type natriuretic peptide (proBNP), ferritin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) values were found to be significantly higher in the E/e' ≥ 8 groups than that in the mitral valve E/e'<8 groups (P < 0.05). The mitral valve e’, a’, s,' and tricuspid valve a’, s,' TAPSE, and septal e,' a’ values in the mitral valve E/e'≥ 8 groups were found to be significantly lower than that in the E/e' < 8 groups, whereas mitral valve E, isovolumic contraction time (ICT), isovolumic relaxation time (IRT), myocardial performance Index (MPI), and tricuspid valve ICT, IVA, E/e’, and septal ICT, IVA, IRT, MPI values were found to be significantly higher (P < 0.05). Serial assessments of mitral valve E, tricuspid valve E, e’, E/e,' septal ST, MPI, and left ventricular EF, FS values revealed statistically significant variations (P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed an IL-6 of > 70.3, proBNP of > 278.5, and procalcitonin of > 2.4 was identified as an effective cut-off point in the mitral E/e’(> 8) for patients with MIS-C area under the curve (AUC) = 0.743, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.599 - 0.887, P = 0.005, sensitivity: 72%, specificity: 74% for IL-6; AUC = 0.680, 95% CI = 0.535 - 0.825, P = 0.037, sensitivity: 72%, specificity: 60% for proBNP; and AUC = 0.672, 95% CI = 0.528 - 0.816, P = 0.046, sensitivity: 72%, specificity: 60% for procalcitonin).

Tissue Doppler imaging findings of diastolic dysfunction seem to be improved until the third month. Tissue Doppler imaging findings of diastolic dysfunction appear to ameliorate until the third month. Mitral valve E/e’> 8 value is significantly associated with IL-6, proBNP, and procalcitonin values in patients with MIS-C. IL-6, proBNP, and procalcitonin values were determined as independent high-risk indicators for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Heart failure (HF) is a prevalent diagnosis with a significant mortality rate. Various therapeutic approaches exist for treating HF, and human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells-conditioned medium (hAMSCs-CM) therapy has emerged as a promising option. Despite its potential efficacy, the precise mechanism of action underlying hAMSCs-CM treatment remains unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a novel animal study to investigate the mechanism of action of hAMSCs-CM in an HF model, with a specific focus on transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/galectin-3, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and aldosterone (ALD).

Forty adult male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: control, HF, culture medium, and CM. All rats, except those in the control group, received an injection of isoproterenol to induce an animal model of HF. The CM group was administered the CM, while those in the culture medium group received standard culture media. Subsequently, serum levels of fibrotic factors, including TGF-β/galectin-3, MCP1, BNP, and ALD, were measured using ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and the Tukey test.

Serum levels of TGF-β/galectin-3, MCP1, BNP, and ALD were significantly elevated in the HF, CM, and culture medium groups compared with the control group (P<0.001). Additionally, these fibrotic factors were significantly reduced in the CM group compared with the HF group (P<0.001). Notably, CM therapy could not restore TGF-β/galectin-3, MCP1, BNP, or ALD levels to the normal range observed in the control group.

 Our findings indicate that hAMSCs-CM modulates the expression of inflammatory and fibrotic cytokines, such as TGF-β/galectin-3, MCP1, BNP, and ALD, in isoproterenol-induced HF in male rats. These results contribute to a better understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms underlying hAMSCs-CM treatment for HF.

Periplasmic expression of antimicrobial peptides is one of the most important issues in cloning and protein expression systems. In the present study, bioinformatics methods were used to predict the best signal peptides for periplasmic expression of the melittin peptide in Escherichia coli. Therefore, the sequence of 12 signal peptides was prepared from signal peptide databases. In order to choose the best signal peptide, periplasmic expression, sub-cellular localization site, solubility, physical and chemical properties of signal peptides were analyzed by Signalp6, Psort, Protein-sol, PRED-TAT, and Portparam servers. Six of the 12 signal peptides passed the Signalp6 filter, and only two passed Psort. After examining the solubility of signal peptides and investigating their physical and chemical properties, it was determined that zraP has the most favorable characteristics. Finally, zraP could be considered the best signal peptide for the melittin expression. Our results can be used for periplasmic expression of melittin in Escherichia coli host.

Plant proteins are a good alternative to animal sources in the production of bioactive peptides as rich, safe, and suitable sources for industrial scale production. Peptides obtained from the hydrolysis of plant proteins are also compounds with therapeutic properties, safe, low molecular weight, low cost, high bioactivity and easy absorption. The biological activities of peptides derived from plant proteins, depending on the type and sequence of their amino acids, include influencing the main body systems such as the heart and blood vessels, digestive system, nerves and immune system. Due to the promotion of health and the need to prevent diseases, the production and use of bioactive peptides have become increasingly popular due to their antioxidant, anti-blood pressure and antimicrobial properties. In addition to biological activities, plant-derived bioactive peptides have a wide range of functional properties, including various physical and chemical properties such as high solubility, emulsifying, foaming, and hydrophilic/lipophilic properties. This review presents research progress on the biological activities and functional properties of plant-derived peptides and the use of bioactive peptides in various food formulations as nutraceutical, functional or therapeutic food ingredients as well as food preservatives. The bitter taste and toxicity of these bioactive peptides are in some cases potential challenges that need to be overcome before wider use. The purpose of this review is to improve the understanding of bioactive peptides derived from plants and to present their applications. In addition, in this review study, the major challenges and future prospects in the application of plant-derived bioactive peptides in the development of multipurpose products have been discussed.

The development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia, is associated with the abnormal aggregation of Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides into fibrils and plaques, leading to a decline in brain function. A promising approach to treating Aβ pathology involves inhibiting fibrillogenesis and developing compounds that effectively disrupt the stable structure of Aβ fibrils. To investigate the destabilizing effects of peptides on Aβ42 protofibrils, we designed 42 different N-methylated peptides that bind to Aβ42 protofibrils. We then studied the protofibril-peptide interactions using molecular docking, free energy calculations, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our results demonstrate that peptides induce changes in the secondary structure of Aβ42 protofibrils, ultimately leading to the formation of a less ordered structure. Increased Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), reduced residue contacts, disrupted salt bridge interactions, and decreased hydrogen bonds between chains in the Aβ42 protofibril indicate destabilization of the protofibril structure. Among the peptides tested, P3 and P11, both singly N-methylated, exhibited the most potential for disrupting the Aβ42 protofibril structure.