The biological activities of propolis are varied from plant sources and the prominent antioxidant effects of Chinese propolis (poplar type) have been extensively reported. Oxidative stress is associated with inflammation and induces many diseases. In the study, to evaluate antioxidant capacities and clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms of ethanol extracts of Chinese propolis (EECP) and e...

BACKGROUND The complicated concept of quality of life (QOL) has been considered as an important criterion for health outcomes in chronic diseases, such as heart disease, in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the QOL of patients with angina pectoris after treatment with enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP). MATERIALS AND METHODS This quasi-experimental study was conducted...

Although medical and surgical treatments often provide adequate solutions for individuals with coronary artery disease, an increasing need exists to develop treatment modalities for those patients with angina who are unresponsive to medical therapy, have serious coronary atherosclerosis, and are not eligible for percutaneous techniques or bypass surgery, a condition known as refractory angina p...

OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of differing modes of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) operation: synchronous, independent (asynchronous or pseudosynchronous) or counter pulsation (antisynchronous), on left atrial pressure, pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary blood flow and right ventricular work load, utilizing a previously published electrical analogy of the systemic and pulmonary ci...

The effect of pulsation on the heat transfer rates, for turbulent water stream with upstream pulsation of different amplitudes, in a double-pipe heat exchanger for both parallel and counter flows, with cold water on the shell side, was investigated. Pulsation frequencies, with using a reciprocating device, ranged up to 260 cycles per minute (up to 4.3 Hz) and 5 different displacement amplitudes...

Between 25,000 and 75,000 new cases of angina refractory to maximal medical therapy and standard coronary revascularization procedures are diagnosed each year. In addition, heart failure also places an enormous burden on the U.S. health care system, with an estimated economic impact ranging from $20 billion to more than $50 billion per year. The technique of counterpulsation, studied for almost...

The International Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) Patient Registry tracks acute and long-term outcome for consecutive patients treated for chronic angina. Although EECP has previously been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for angina, little information is available on its use in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. This report compares the acute outcome and 6-mon...