Metaheuristics with Deep Learning Empowered Biomedical Atherosclerosis Disease Diagnosis and Classification

Atherosclerosis diagnosis is an inarticulate and complicated cognitive process. Researches on medical diagnosis necessitate maximum accuracy and performance to make optimal clinical decisions. Since the medical diagnostic outcomes need to be prompt and accurate, the recently developed artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL) models have received considerable attention among research communities. This study develops a novel Metaheuristics with Deep Learning Empowered Biomedical Atherosclerosis Disease Diagnosis and Classification (MDL-BADDC) model. The proposed MDL-BADDC technique encompasses several stages of operations such as pre-processing, feature selection, classification, and parameter tuning. Besides, the proposed MDL-BADDC technique designs a novel Quasi-Oppositional Barnacles Mating Optimizer (QOBMO) based feature selection technique. Moreover, the deep stacked autoencoder (DSAE) based classification model is designed for the detection and classification of atherosclerosis disease. Furthermore, the krill herd algorithm (KHA) based parameter tuning technique is applied to properly adjust the parameter values. In order to showcase the enhanced classification performance of the MDL-BADDC technique, a wide range of simulations take place on three benchmarks biomedical datasets. The comparative result analysis reported the better performance of the MDL-BADDC technique over the compared methods.     

Antiatherogenic effect of guava leaf extracts inhibiting leucocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase activity

Oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL) is one of the critical steps for the development of atherosclerosis and leucocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase, highly expressed in macrophages, has been suggested to play an essential role in this process. In the present study, we show that guava leaf extracts inhibited, not only the leucocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase activity, but also LDL oxidation, mediated by the enzyme-overexpressing macrophage-like J774A.1 cells. Oral administration of guava leaf extracts to apoE-knockout mice at 100 mg of dry extracts/kg of body weight, once a day for 16 weeks, significantly reduced the area of atherogenic lesions developed in the aorta and aortic sinus. The major components inhibiting leucocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase contained in guava leaf extracts were identified as ethyl gallate and quercetin. The inhibitory effects of guava leaf extracts on the leucocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase activity, as well as on cell-mediated LDL oxidation, might be involved in the antiatherogenic effect of the extracts.     

Lycopene and Its Antioxidant Role in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases—A Critical Review

The present review is based mainly on papers published between 2000 and 2011 and gives information about the properties of the carotenoid lycopene in chemical and biological systems and its possible role in preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The main aim of this report is to highlight its role as an antioxidant, also reported are bioactive properties that may influence the development of foam cells and protection against endothelial cell damage. The paper will also examine recent observations that lycopene may improve blood flow and reduce inflammatory responses. Lycopene possesses antioxidant properties in vitro, and some epidemiological studies have reported protective effects against the progression of CVD. The oxidation of human low density lipoproteins (LDL) is a fundamental mechanism in the initiation of atherosclerosis. A beneficial role of lycopene as antioxidant in the prevention of CVD is suggested but the data are still controversial. Lycopene is believed to be the most potent carotenoid antioxidant in vitro. Tissue culture experiments and animal studies support potential cardioprotective effects for lycopene and other carotenoids in the blood. Most studies showed beneficial effects of lycopene to individuals who are antioxidant-deficient like elderly patients, or humans exposed to higher levels of oxidative stress like smokers, diabetics, hemodialysis patients and acute myocardial infarction patients. By defining the right population and combining antioxidant potentials of lycopene with vitamins and other bioactive plant compounds, the beneficial role of lycopene in CVD can be clarified in future studies.     

Fungal siderophores function as protective agents of LDL oxidation and are promising anti-atherosclerotic metabolites in functional food

Iron-mediated oxidation of low-density lipoprotein has been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular disorders such as atherosclerosis. The present investigations were performed to test whether hydrophobic fungal siderophores - hexadentate trihydroxamates desferricoprogen, desferrichrome, desferrirubin, and desferrichrysin - might suppress heme-catalyzed LDL oxidation and the toxic effects of heme-treated LDL on vascular endothelium. Indeed, two of these - desferricoprogen and desferrichrome - markedly increased the resistance of LDL to heme-catalyzed oxidation. In similar dose-response fashion, these siderophores also inhibited the generation of LDL products cytotoxic to human vascular endothelium. When iron-free fungal siderophores were added to LDL/heme oxidation reactions, the product failed to induce heme oxygenase-1, a surrogate marker for the noncytocidal effects of oxidized LDL (not in the case of desferrichrysin). Desferricoprogen also hindered the iron-mediated peroxidation of lipids from human atherosclerotic soft plaques in vitro, and was taken up in the gastrointestinal tract of rat. The absorbed siderophore was accumulated in the liver and was secreted in its iron-complexed form in the feces and urine. The consumption of mold-ripened food products such as aged cheeses and the introduction of functional foods and food additives rich in fungal iron chelators in diets may lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.     

Unsaturated fatty acids liberated from VLDL cause apoptosis in endothelial cells

Certain unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), cleaved from lipoproteins, are known to activate the serine/threonine protein phosphatase type 2C (PP2C) alpha- and beta-isoforms. To investigate the role of UFAs in apoptosis of endothelial cells, we cocultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with THP-1 monocytes. Phorbol-12-myristic-13-acetate (PMA)-treated THP-1 monocytes differentiated into macrophages and synthesized lipoprotein lipase (LPL), the major enzyme for hydrolysis of triglycerides. We demonstrated that LPL from THP-1 macrophages released UFAs from VLDL, which were capable of inducing apoptosis in HUVECs. Physiological concentrations of VLDL did not cause apoptosis in HUVECs, whereas the combination of VLDL with LPL-rich cell medium of THP-1 macrophages did. THP-1 macrophages and HUVECs in cocultivation did not interfere with each other. However, addition of VLDL to this coculture caused apoptosis in HUVECs. Furthermore, inhibition of LPL by adding orlistat to the culture medium and down-regulation of LPL by small interfering RNA (siRNA) reduced the extent of apoptosis of HUVECs. In conclusion, our results show that the amounts of UFAs liberated from lipoproteins are high enough to induce apoptosis in endothelial cells. This underlines the proatherogenic role of UFAs in hyperlipoproteinemias.     

Influence of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from polluted and non-polluted areas on some atherosclerosis indices in rats fed cholesterol

The influence of diets supplemented with mussels, from polluted (MPoll) and non-polluted (MNPoll) areas, on some atherosclerosis indices in rats fed cholesterol (Chol) were studied. According to the results of our investigation in vitro, mussels from polluted areas had higher contents of proteins, metals and antioxidant compounds, mostly phenolics and higher antioxidant capacities. 28 male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups of 7 and named Control, Chol, Chol/MPoll and Chol/MNPoll. The rats of the Control group received basal diet (BD) only, and the diets of the other 3 groups were supplemented with 1% of non-oxidized cholesterol (NOC), 1% of NOC and 5.6% of mussel dry matter (DM) from polluted and 1% of NOC and 5.6% of mussel DM from non-polluted areas for Chol, Chol/MPoll and Chol/MNPoll, respectively. The histology of the aorta and brain in rats fed cholesterol did not show any signs of atherosclerosis. Some differences were registered in the electrophoretic protein patterns of plasma in rats, with mussel-supplemented diets. In full plasma electrophoretic patterns of the Chol/MPoll diet group more proteins were detected than in both Chol and Control groups, and the differences were significant. In conclusion, in groups of rats fed cholesterol with mussels supplementation, a significant hindering in the rise of plasma lipid levels and also hindering in the decrease of plasma antioxidant activity were registered.     

缓释烟酸与阿托伐他汀联合治疗颈动脉粥样硬化的疗效观察

目的研究烟酸缓释片联合阿托伐他汀对颈动脉粥样硬化的治疗效果。方法76例颈动脉粥样硬化患者随机分为两组:(1)对照组(38例),给予阿托伐他汀10mg/d;(2)治疗组(38例),给予阿托伐他汀10mg/d和烟酸缓释片1000mg/d。比较治疗前后两组血清总胆固醇(TC)、血清甘油三酯(TG)、血清低密度脂蛋白(LDL-C)和高密度脂蛋白(HDL-C)水平的改变;颈总动脉内膜-中层厚度(IMT)、颈动脉斑块厚度(Tmax)、颈动脉斑块面积(Smax)变化。结果(1)经过6个月治疗,两组TC、TG、LDL-C均有明显下降(P<0.05),但治疗组较对照组下降更显著(P<0.001)。治疗组血清高密度脂蛋白(HDL-C)升高20.7%,对照组无明显变化。(2)治疗后,治疗组的IMT、Tmax、Smax较治疗前明显下降,而对照组较治疗前无明显变化(P>0.05)。结论烟酸缓释片联合阿托伐他汀治疗颈动脉粥样疗效较单独使用阿托伐他汀好,且具有良好的安全性和耐受性。