Heart disease is a big deal, and it's all about tiny things going wrong. Cells in our blood vessels have special connections called junctions. These junctions help keep everything in check. But when they don't work right, bad things happen. Think about the walls of your blood vessels. They are like a team of cells working together. They have different types of junct...
The human body is a bustling network of cells that constantly communicate with each other. One way they do this is by releasing tiny packages called extracellular vesicles, or EVs. These are tiny bubbles of fat and protein that float in the blood and other body fluids. They play a big part in keeping our bodies running smoothly. But when things go wrong, EVs can also...
Some cancer treatments are causing unexpected problems. These treatments are designed to fight cancer. However, they also increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes in patients. It is hard to understand exactly why this happens. One possible reason is that these treatments speed up the hardening of arteries. This is due to increased inflammation in the body. ...
In 2024, a study in Shanghai looked at how well adults understand and approach heart health screenings. This study happened between April and May, with over 600 people taking part. The goal was to see how much people know about heart health, how they feel about it, and what they do about it. The findings were clear. On average, people's knowledge about heart health ...
Atherosclerosis is a condition where fatty deposits build up in the arteries. This can lead to heart disease and stroke. It is well known that disturbed blood flow plays a big role in this process. But what if there is more to the story? What if certain genes also play a part? In recent research, scientists looked into a specific gene called Aff3ir-ORF2. This gene i...
There is a lot of talk about how exercise can help people who have had a heart attack. One key area of interest is how different types of exercise affect the arteries in the neck, which are crucial for blood flow to the brain. This is important because blockages in these arteries can lead to strokes. High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, has gained popularity i...
When it comes to managing high cholesterol, it is important to understand that it is a lifelong issue. It is not just about the cholesterol level at the time of a doctor's appointment. The risk of heart disease comes from having high levels of bad cholesterol over a long period. This is especially true for those with a genetic condition called familial hypercholester...
Atherosclerosis is a sneaky condition that starts where blood flow is wonky. This is where inflammation and too many endothelial cells (EC) get together and cause trouble. It turns out, c-REL, a member of the NF-κB transcription factor family, is a key player in this mess. It drives two harmful processes: inflammation and cell cycle pathways. It is like a conduct...
Fatty acids, specifically those that are not attached to other molecules, can be harmful to various organs in the body. These acids, known as non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. This raises an important question: Can NEFAs affect cognitive decline or dementia? To explore this, researchers looked at data from two lar...
Diabetes increases the risk of atherosclerosis, a condition where plaques build up in the arteries. But how does this happen, especially when it comes to the role of macrophages? Let's dive into the fascinating world of cellular interactions. Scientists used smart tools to compare how cells in the immune system behaved differently in people with atherosclerosis and ...