The ratio of M1/M2 macrophages in epicardial adipose tissue of CAD patients is changed compared with that in non-CAD patients. Human coronary atherosclerosis is associated with macrophage polarization in epicardial adipose tissue.

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Objective: Minimal access cardiac valve surgery is increasingly utilized. We report our 11-year experience with minimally invasive aortic valve surgery. Methods: From 07/96 to 12/06, 1005 patients underwent minimally invasive aortic valve surgery. Early and late outcomes were analyzed. Results: Median patient age was 68 years (range: 24-95), 179 patients (18%) were 80 years or older, 130 patients (13%) had reoperative aortic valve surgery, 86 (8.4%) had aortic root replacement, 62 (6.1%) had concomitant ascending aortic replacement, and 26 (2.6%) had percutaneous coronary intervention on the day of surgery (hybrid procedure). Operative mortality was 1.9% (19/1005). The incidences of deep sternal wound infection, pneumonia and reoperation for bleeding were 0.5% (5/1005), 1.3% (13/1005) and 2.4% (25/1005), respectively. Median length of stay was 6 days and 733 patients (72%) were discharged home. Actuarial survival was 91% at 5 years and 88% at 10 years. In the subgroup of the elderly (80 years), operative mortality was 1.7% (3/179), median length of stay was 8 days and 66 patients (37%) were discharged home. Actuarial survival at 5 years was 84%. There was a significant decreasing trend in cardiopulmonary bypass time, the incidence of bleeding, and operative mortality over time. Conclusions: Minimal access approaches in aortic valve surgery are safe and feasible with excellent outcomes. Aortic root replacement, ascending aortic replacement, and reoperative surgery can be performed with these approaches. These procedures are particularly well-tolerated in the elderly. #

Background-Use of an internal mammary artery (IMA) is a well-recognized, nationally endorsed quality indicator for evaluating the process of operative care for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

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A pharmacological comparison between the enantiomers, shikonin (R) and alkannin (S), was made with regard to their inhibitory effects on the increased capillary permeability and thermal edema in rats, using phenylbutazone as a positive control in both models. The results of experiments have shown that there is no significant difference in the anti-inflammatory activity between the two compounds.