Atherosclerosis is a key pathological process that causes a plethora of pathologies,
including coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and ischemic stroke. The silent …

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and disability in developed
countries. According to WHO, an estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019 …

Acute ischemic stroke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and its
incidence is about 200 per 100,000 population per year (1). Approximately 20% of patients …

Microvascular structure and hemodynamics are important indicators for the diagnosis and
assessment of many diseases and pathologies. The structural and functional imaging of …

Ultrasonic technologies show great promise for diagnostic imaging and drug delivery in
theranostic applications. The development of functional and molecular ultrasound imaging is …

Carotid atherosclerosis is a major cause for stroke, with significant associated disease
burden morbidity and mortality in Western societies. Diagnosis, grading and follow-up of …

The risk assessment for carotid atherosclerotic lesions involves not only determining the
degree of stenosis but also plaque morphology and its composition. Recently, carotid …

Not only the degree of luminal narrowing but also the plaque morphology and composition
play an important role in risk stratification of carotid atherosclerotic lesions. During the last …

Abstract Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimer protein composed of an oxygen-
regulated functional subunit, HIF-1α, and a structural subunit, HIF-1β, belonging to the basic …

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease partly mediated by lipoproteins. The rupture of
vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques and thrombosis are major contributors to the …