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AimsCardiac fibroblasts (CFs) are considered the principal regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Factors that influence CF activity are difficult to determine. When isolated and cultured in vitro, CFs undergo rapid phenotypic changes including increased expression of α-SMA. Here we describe a new model to study CFs and their response to pharmacological and mechanical stimuli using in vitro cultured mouse, dog and human myocardial slices.Methods and resultsUnloading of myocardial slices induced CF proliferation without α-SMA expression up to 7 days in culture. CFs migrating onto the culture plastic support or cultured on glass expressed αSMA within 3 days. The cells on the slice remained αSMA(−) despite transforming growth factor-β (20 ng/ml) or angiotensin II (200 µM) stimulation. When diastolic load was applied to myocardial slices using A-shaped stretchers, CF proliferation was significantly prevented at Days 3 and 7 (P < 0.001).ConclusionsMyocardial slices allow the study of CFs in a multicellular environment and may be used to effectively study mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis and potential targets.

A prospective cohort study was conducted. The practice in three clinics, cardiology, primary care, and endocrine, was assessed by data collection including demographic information, lipid profile (HDL, triglyceride, LDL, total cholesterol), and lipid-lowering drugs. All consecutive patients with hyperlipidemia were included. Extensive educational sessions have been implemented at the beginning of the study. Morisky score was assessed at the initial visit and months 3 and 9 to assess the medication adherence. 401 patients were included with a mean age of 60±13 years, 62 % were males. Evaluation of the prescription pattern of lipid-lowering drugs in outpatient pharmacy revealed 40 % of the hyperlipidemic patients were prescribed lipid-lowering drugs with only 15% was on proper dosing. Rosuvastatin was prescribed more in PCC (60%) while Atorvastatin was more in Cardiology (80%). Initially, the research team conducted a workshop with a campaign to educate the health care practitioners with the guidelines directed to medical therapy. Morisky score calculation was carried out at the beginning, and months 3 and 9. Morisky score was used to evaluate therapy adherence together with knowledge and motivation level. Morisky score initially was above 2 (low adherence) in 43% of the patients and 2 or less (moderate to high adherence) in 57%. Morisky score (above 2) was decreased to 29% from at the first visit (month 3) to 12 % in the last visit (month 9), which reflect on the effectiveness of the extensive education program which was given by the research teams at the beginning of the study.

Our aim was to assess sleep quality in different subgroups of preclinical medical students, and then to identify specific lifestyle factors, academic and social factors as well as Corona virus related factors that were associated with poor sleeping quality and poor psychological health. Study participants were all medical students at King Saud University of Medical Sciences in the first and second years (648 students), and the study was conducted from December 2021 to January 2022. We administered the survey on paper as well as online. We used three types of questionnaires in this study. The first was a self-administered questionnaire, the second was a validated Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) for finding sleeping problems, and the third was a validated DASS 10 for determining Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. A total of 361 pre-clinical medical students consisted of 146 (40.4%) males and 215 (59.5%) females. The majority of the students, 246 (68.1%), were in their second year. Furthermore, in the current study, students who had poor academic performance (15.8%), satisfactory academic performance (21.3%), or good academic performance (30.7%) had significant sleeping problems found (χ2 = 19.4; p = 0.001), among them poor academic performance students 21.6%, satisfactory academic performance students (29.3%), and good academic performance students (29.3%) had moderate to severe levelled sleeping problems. Similarly, poor, satisfactory, and good academic performers experienced the highest levels of anxiety (poor = 21.5%; satisfactory = 22.1%; and good = 22.8%); stress (poor = 22.4%; satisfactory = 25.2%; and good = 22.4%); and depression (poor = 40.5%; satisfactory = 40.5%; and good = 11.9%). The majority of students (64.8%) reported that during the pandemic crisis their anxiety levels were high. Additionally, students reported significantly high sleeping issues (χ2 = 10.6; p = 0.001) and also serious psychological issues (Anxiety = 34.9 (0.000); Stress = 32.5 (0.000); and Depression = 5.42 (0.01)). There was a high prevalence of sleep issues, anxiety, stress, and depression among the pre-clinical medical students, with significantly higher sleeping disorders, anxiety, stress, and depression levels among those medical students who struggle with their academic performances, poor lifestyle factor, and poor Social and COVID management.